Transforming the way we think
15 Oct 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day newspaper column, writes that the story of the Kings should be about hope and not ridicule.
The South African Rugby Union has never believed in the Eastern Cape as anything but an irritation to professional rugby but also a corporate cash cow in the name of development.
If any within the current administration refutes this then I challenge them to publicly apologise to the region for the way in which entry to Super Rugby was finalised and to apologise for making the Kings hated among a certain sector of provincial South African fan because they replaced a South African team, in the form of the Lions.
Saru’s apathy to the Eastern Cape needs to consistently be challenged. It has always been this way since professionalism in 1996. Saru, when convenient, uses the Eastern Cape as the missing link to a rugby rainbow nation but those with the responsibility within Saru have never had the heart and intent to make it the link. Instead all love for the Eastern Cape has been commercially and politically motivated.
It is disgusting. It has always been disgusting. It won’t easily change.
The Kings, on Super Rugby entry, should have been the good-news story of unity. It should have been fully endorsed because in a united rainbow nation it is very necessary to have a team from within the Eastern Cape in Super Rugby’s biggest southern hemisphere tournament. The Kings, representative of rugby in the Eastern Cape, should have been the missing link to show the game has finally transformed, not in black playing numbers, but by way of the thinking among administrators, supporters and the media in South Africa.
The backlash, resentment and resistance to the Kings suggests there is more than one link missing in a united South Africa and a united South African rugby structure.
Equally disturbing is how so many supporters refuse to see the significance of the Eastern Cape within the context of a healthy professional South African rugby international presence.
The administration has never surprised me. They have neither the intellectual capital nor the charisma (as individuals or a collective) to inspire. The game’s growth needs pioneers and instead the conveyer belt only produces pensioners, if not by age then certainly by way of enthusiasm and aspiration.
The administration of South African rugby has allowed for an emotional distaste for the Kings among supporters that is misplaced.
The Kings have not replaced the Lions in Super Rugby. They were given introduction to the tournament in place of the South African team that has been the worst performer in Super Rugby in 2012. Not historically, but only this year.
The Lions supporters really have to blame their players, coaches and the Lions administration that the Lions were the ones to make way. The Lions were the architects of their own demise, however temporary it may be.
Saru’s leadership, throughout the last year, have allowed for the resentment from those supporters to fester into something ugly. Not once has a voice within Saru preached perspective and done it with conviction. The platitudes have been that the Kings would play Super Rugby because it was best for South African rugby; that the decision was about transformation and had to be made.
What a cop out.
Transformation is in the way we should be thinking, not in how many black friends we have or how many black players the provincial or regional or national coach selects.
Transformation should be about the right kind of change and not change for the sake of change.
The Kings, as an entity, should have reflected the change of thinking in South African rugby but it has only reinforced how little has changed in the thinking within the game in this country.
Alan Solomons, formerly as EP head coach and now director of rugby, has done an unrivalled job with the EP Kings when you unemotionally consider what he has transformed about Eastern Province rugby in the last four years.
Those who disagree with me will do so on emotion and by way of not having been privy to the transformation, as a rugby entity, from four years ago.
Before you rant and accuse me of being on the Kings payroll, take a drive or get on bus, train or plane and sit with Solomons and do your own analysis of what has been achieved over the last four years.
There is so much vitriol aimed at the Kings because of Saru’s refusal to endorse change and absolute conviction that Sanzar would accommodate a sixth South African team.
The vitriol should be at those who govern our game, not the Kings, who on Saturday won the Currie Cup First Division in a titanic struggle against the Pumas.
To borrow from an American president, those within South African rugby should ask not what the Kings can do for them but more what Saru, as the custodians of the game in this country, could have done for the Kings.
Currently they have done nothing but set them up for Super Rugby failure and sadly they’ve hoodwinked so many supporters to embrace the prospect of this failure because they’ve made the Kings the bad guy, the Lions the fall guy and stood tall as the good guy.
Think about it …
942 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 [10] 11 12 13 14 15 … 19 » Show All
15 Oct 2012, 17:13 pm
Normally the advice is to save the children for the fossilized ‘apartheid ‘ adherents are way beyond any meaningful redemption. In this poisoned atmosphere of nude hatred that too now must be questioned as a workable option towards a reasonable future.
15 Oct 2012, 17:14 pm
@RL-436: scraping the barrel
i asked Katman to show me where on the Kings website it said anything about 200 000 black players and he provided comments by Mckeever.
there was never a denial, i asked for evidence as i am doing with you now!
you say jurie roux said “xyz”
i say “show me where”
6 months from now it will be “Transformer denied that jurie said blah blah blah”
try a new trick boytjie
15 Oct 2012, 17:15 pm
@rangerman-445: Isn’t ironic that the 2 bottom feeders in the Super Rugby, Lions and Cheetahs, one is already out of next year’s Super Rugby and the other is playing a promotion/relegation game against the Kings.
How many promotion/relegation games would the then Banana Boys won against WP/N. Transvaal. Transvaal and Free State?, the madness of this irrationality is beyond a joke.
15 Oct 2012, 17:15 pm
The Sharks greed is the sole reason for today’s fighting.You have to remember that this was a desperate union who was uber kuk for 100 years.
15 Oct 2012, 17:16 pm
@Neilanate-451:
hi et,
why do you always speak in these mystic types of phrases?
almost like the writings of nostradamus.
most of the time i cant make out what you are saying and just give up. is this intentional?
15 Oct 2012, 17:16 pm
@RL-436: “Now maybe I will correct the Transformer again, maybe not but it is out there.”
how can you “correct me” on something i have no knowledge of, that you have just CLAIMED today?
15 Oct 2012, 17:18 pm
@wnbb-454: Slither back into the ground worm, ur soiling the place
15 Oct 2012, 17:18 pm
@wnbb-454:
Not fair at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were only K.A.K for about 70 years?
15 Oct 2012, 17:19 pm
@LoanShark-458:
For the past 20 years we have been pretty OK!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Oct 2012, 17:21 pm
If in doubt about the Border and EP rugby all you have to do is see the SARU’s Annual report. SARU had to take ownership of these Unions to bail them out of debt, and according to last year they were now in the black. The figure going back looked like they were 32 million for EP and 19 million for Border in the dwang which SARU took on their balance sheet as a loss.
I think SARU still own the shares in those 2 unions, but I think somebody from Natal bought the EP shares from SARU.
15 Oct 2012, 17:22 pm
@LoanShark-459: HEHEHE see whn enforcement of players elsewhere etc was stopped and it became professional as a game? waaaaaallahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Sharks ontop,
And there after Senior El Crappo’s team became a flop
15 Oct 2012, 17:24 pm
Didn’t you win the CC for the first time in the 100th year of your existence??Admittedly you had a good time since 1992.
15 Oct 2012, 17:26 pm
@umkhonto-460: So if we own the shares we can dictate who plays there or comes to the Sharks right?
15 Oct 2012, 17:27 pm
@wnbb-462:
We can still live in the past(poor stompies), but on current form only one team in the country!
15 Oct 2012, 17:27 pm
@rangerman-435: your tribe are the last white bantustan bastion of bananaramaland.. that is who your tribe is, who you trying to kid ?.. your inherent white racism reeks of dishonesty.. same goes for at least 90% of those who vehemently oppose the Kings.. every last vestige of anti kings sentiment is based in the fear of what transpires as pure apartheid policy.. nothing new here under the sun.. same old same old swart gevaar vrees that has haunted these poor last white bastion broerders in arms since Jan Van Reibeek landed his Dromadaris in Table bay.. and Pa Verwoerd sold you down the Orange river in his apartheid glorified ideology of a fat long term white is right pay day.
Just check who is so anti Kings.. all those who’s little pocket full of dainty dishes are about to get smacked to smithereens.. they the ones so vehemently anti Watson – anti Kings
Almost 100% of Sharks and the rest from the hinterland where the threat of broeder domination and distilled policy of segregation still holds sway foremost in their consciousness.. these are the ones so anti progress and anti Kings…
15 Oct 2012, 17:30 pm
Current form means sweet nothing mate.You are still a poxy little union with not much to show than a few CC’s .In terms of Super rugby only Bulls and their fans have bragging rights.
15 Oct 2012, 17:31 pm
So the clown cam out to play
,
Funny though al day long it has been the BBUlls and Lions supporters fighting against the Kings inclusion
yawellnofine……
party ouens sukkel om te lees
15 Oct 2012, 17:31 pm
@wnbb-466:
We do not have to go and hide behind our empty trophy cabinet like the stompies at-least?
15 Oct 2012, 17:32 pm
@ahasaid theclown-465:
Hi Skop.
15 Oct 2012, 17:34 pm
@wnbb-466: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH so your tune has changed again as the Sharks have again proved to be the most consitant union in SA re SR
I mean you ended first and sommer had a trophy made to brag ??
and then you did’nt make the finals AGAIN… shampies always the little boy who needw to trash others to make himself feel good about himself,Vra jou Ma vir speelgoed seun , die reekenaar is bo jou vermoe om verstandelike goed kwyt te raak en te tik 
15 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
@LoanShark-468: 40 years from now they will still be telling us about their success in the 70′s
15 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
so sharkies are happy to have Kings down the road competing on an equal playing field .. what took you so long to give them your thumbs up?. because had you done so when it was due perhaps 6 years ago then none of your bright young sparkies would be wearing black and white today they would have all been wearing red and black for sure.
15 Oct 2012, 17:36 pm
@David-469: One could smell 100 miles away that was Skoppie
15 Oct 2012, 17:36 pm
@sharks_lover-463: If only, it is a defector who has started up a rugby academy in EP, the guy owned the one in Northern KZN, probably felt he was been shunted by the Sharks academy.
One point every one must remeber is that the Varsity cup will be the feeder system to the Union teams and UJ are putting a lot of money into Rugby, they seem to have massive cheque book at the moment, where it comes from is anybody’s guess.
15 Oct 2012, 17:37 pm
All day Sharks fans denied that their greed caused today’s super rugby pain and hurt.Reall classy people that in Dirtbin.
15 Oct 2012, 17:38 pm
@David-469: yip they did it again.. pulled the plug one more time.. you can thank the little swarm of broerderbontjies here for that… snake in the grass little slithering skinnering vermin that they are.
15 Oct 2012, 17:38 pm
@ahasaid theclown-465: i don’t know if apartheid was that bad Skop, i mean when you read comments like these, was it really that bad?
52.charo said:
15 Oct 2012, 11:15 am
@Brads-50:
you sound as old as me mate
no doubt in nz you’ve had a more liberal govt than us.
but in hindsight, i’ve often tried to put myself in the shoes of the afrikaners at the time. a small minority trying to hold on to political power and their “culture”.
could not have been easy and most of the world didn’t understand this.
much like israel takes so much flack now.
were the afrikaners misunderstood skop?
15 Oct 2012, 17:39 pm
@ahasaid theclown-472: OK Sober up old man ur spewing K@K again….
Most Sharks supporters have been saying for a long time now the KIngs should be playing SR. JUst not at the expense of another union, IF SARU DID THEIR WORK AS THEY SHOULD HAVE ALL TEAMS COULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING SR. negotiations obviously is not SARU”S strong point.
15 Oct 2012, 17:39 pm
@wnbb-466:
Have to give you that much. The bulls have been giving it to us up the wrong side on occasion. The cheeters gave us the odd speed wobble. As for the Stompies…. Like taking candy from a kid!!!
15 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm
Oh you okes have a trophy cabinet now???After saving on the cost of a trophy cabinet for 100 years,I guess it’s about time you chaps have a cabinet.
15 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
@umkhonto-474: mistake, not in EP, only in Border…the EP Kings academy is different from the Border rugb academy!
15 Oct 2012, 17:43 pm
@umkhonto-474: Not sure thats right mate, sure;ly no one person can own a UNION?? that belongs to the people….
I know the NKZN is a full part of the Sharks RU structures, and i have mates that do scouting there etc and work very closely with the clubs.
ONe must remember there are some brilliant players that come out of that region. Anyhows i will ask them re the situation if it is true.
15 Oct 2012, 17:43 pm
Katman doing the dirty on you Skop?
15 Oct 2012, 17:44 pm
@LoanShark-479: 2012 Sharks 4 WP?Stormbrokebacks 1
15 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm
Bliksem Transie you quoting me from 2006????
I reckon your Keo archive is bigger than my rugby one!
15 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm
@umkhonto-460:
South African Rugby Union (Saru) have finally ratified the sale of 49,1% of Border Rugby (Pty) Ltd shares to the Kilian brothers – Henri Leon and Andre.
“The Kilian brothers showed an interest in an equity partnership last year and we had no problem with that. However, that had to go to Saru. I’m happy to say the sale of the shares was finalised by the Saru executive last week,” said Ondala.
As a result of their buy-in into Border Rugby (Pty) Ltd , the Kilians uprooted the Zululand Rugby Academy based in Empangeni and moved it to Buffalo City, where it has been renamed the Border Rugby Academy.
15 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm
@Transformation-477: people are simply brainwashed to think in terms purely from where they originated and can never put themselves in another shoes.. so according to most the white bloggers here.. no it wasn’t so bad far as they can see.. and if you want to be honest about it perhaps at least 50% would only be too happy to turn the clock back and have it re instituted as a viable workable policy.
15 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm
BTW has Tac thanked me for my explanation to his question?
15 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm
@PissAnt-485:
ok, gotta jet…laters
15 Oct 2012, 17:47 pm
@PissAnt-485:
Skoppie is copien and pasting at a rapid rate 
15 Oct 2012, 17:47 pm
@sharks_lover-490: copying
15 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm
@sharks_lover-490:
Skop copying and pasting?
WTF is this site coming to!
15 Oct 2012, 17:52 pm
@Transformation-486:
If I win the lottery I will buy 49% of shares in EP rugby and become the next honourary black.
15 Oct 2012, 17:53 pm
@PissAnt-492:
In 3 hours it will be popying and casting…..
15 Oct 2012, 17:54 pm
@PissAnt-492: eish sorry i meant Transie
15 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm
copy and pasting what?. you think what somebody else has got to say now or any time in the archives intrigues me to that extent?. it’s easy as pie to read what’s on peoples minds its as clear as daylight reading any devious dishonest thoughts from here.
15 Oct 2012, 17:56 pm
@LoanShark-494:
Haha, no doubt.
@sharks_lover-495:
Gave me a heart attack! Still. Interesting to note what I said 6 years ago! **** I have been on this site too long.
15 Oct 2012, 17:57 pm
now skoppie and transie are cast into the same boat .. shows how deep this swart gevaar actually does float.
15 Oct 2012, 17:58 pm
@ahasaid theclown-496:
Hey don’t get ******* emo with me just because you don’t know how to CTRL C and CTRL V.
Got banned again? I am sure your original nick is available again.
15 Oct 2012, 18:00 pm
@sharks_lover-473: So,what’s your point?…especially since he never tries to deceive with new nicks.You need to up your game old toppie.
Pages: « 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 [10] 11 12 13 14 15 … 19 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.