Stormers break black barrier
13 Feb 2008
Rassie Erasmus has made transformation history by including six players of colour in the Stormers starting XV to play the Bulls.
The Stormers team that lost to the Sharks in their last Super 14 match of 2007 had just three players of colour in the XV – Bolla Conradie, Conrad Jantjes and Breyton Paulse. On Saturday, Brian Mujati, Ricky Januarie, Gcobani Bobo, Sireli Naqelevuki, Tonderai Chavhanga and Gio Aplon will run out of the tunnel at Newlands. Another player of colour, Bolla Conradie, is on the bench.
Sceptics will say that two of these non-white players – Mujati and Chavhanga – are Zimbabwean-born, while Naqelevuki has represented Fiji and can’t be picked for the Boks. However, Chavhanga has already worn the Bok jersey in Tests and Mujati on Wednesday told keo.co.za that he’s lived in South Africa for the last five years and could be picked for the Boks tomorrow. When it comes to rugby, Zimbabwe has always been regarded as a South African “province” and poaching their players should not be condemned, especially considering that Zimbabwe’s national rugby team is even more of a joke than their cricket one.
Naqelevuki, meanwhile, is a quality player who adds tremendous value to the Stormers squad. Who’s to say he won’t inspire coloured and black kids to play the game?
Ironically, Erasmus was criticised last year for failing to pick enough black players for the Cheetahs. When the Bloemfontein franchise beat the Lions in the final round of the Super 14, Eddie Fredericks (wing) and Bevin Fortuin (fullback) were the only players of colour in the starting XV.
Erasmus insisted throughout that season that he was committed to transformation, but bemoaned the lack of quality black players in the central region. When he accepted the Stormers job, he cleverly signed Bobo (who didn’t crack the Sharks Super 14 team last year, but did well for the Bok Sevens team), Januarie (the third-choice Bok scrumhalf at the World Cup) and Mujati (who the Lions initially refused to release from his contract because he was so valuable a player). In doing so, Erasmus ensured that transformation wouldn’t be an issue for him in 2008.
Stormers – 15. Gio Aplon, 14. Tonderai Chavhanga, 13. Gcobani Bobo, 12. Jean de Viliiers (c), 11. Sireli Naqelevuki, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Ricky Januarie, 8. Luke Watson, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Schalk Burger, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Francois van der Merwe, 3. Brian Mujati, 2. Tiaan Liebenberg, 1. JD Moller. Subs: 16. Schalk Brits, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Adriaan Fondse, 19. Ross Skeate, 20. Bolla Conradie, 21. Joe Pietersen, 22. Dylan Des Fountain.
By Simon Borchardt
260 Comments
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14 Feb 2008, 04:55 am
Not an iota of homour in that post Bok and if that was your aim you failed miserably!
14 Feb 2008, 06:02 am
OK! Point taken! As long as you remember it goes both ways. If you dish it out… Why you took offence is nobody’s business! Proves my point, I guess, of everyone of SA decent being manipulated by politics. On both sides of the fence. All the more reason for a transformation policy. Its not like you guys are going to give up a place in the sun for ‘the others’ that easily.
14 Feb 2008, 06:42 am
No Bok, you are now mixing politics with plain rude and abusive language and then trying to tell me it proves a point? You lost it bigtime and if you read the post again I am sure you will agree. I do hope it was just that and not an indication of what you really think and feel…
While we are at it, can you please explain to me why I should even contemplate giving my place in the sun up for ‘the others’(who ever they may be!) I will help and support any person that has the desire and will to work for his or her own ‘place in the sun’ and I do not need any transformation policy to make me do that.
14 Feb 2008, 06:50 am
bok a very stupid post
14 Feb 2008, 06:53 am
Take it easy guys. Koos how could you fall for this, bro this is trolling in the first degree. Mate you took it hook line and sinker. Chill bro.
14 Feb 2008, 06:54 am
“place in the sun, the others“ are we talking about the tv show lost
14 Feb 2008, 07:07 am
Hey pomp no, he is a regular and either way it is in very poor taste.
hehehe stamp, for what its worth, I probably told a little lie as well, hottest part of the day I gladly give up my place in the sun for anyone…whilst I move over to the shade!
14 Feb 2008, 07:07 am
Hey pomp no, he is a regular and either way it is in very poor taste.
hehehe stamp, for what its worth, I probably told a little lie as well, hottest part of the day I gladly give up my place in the sun for anyone…whilst I move over to the shade!
14 Feb 2008, 07:08 am
Check, double entry police are fast asleep, slipped past without a sound…
16 Feb 2008, 07:27 am
You bloody character. Lol.
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