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
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15 Oct 2012, 22:13 pm
@ahasaid theclown-692: haha get phucked loser, maybe one day you will be able to afford the bus fare to durbs and will go for a swim on the durban beachfront and get rescued by a mate of mine who is a black lifeguard and spearo and would probably enjoy holding you underwwater for a while if you told him his genetics precluded him from swimming
15 Oct 2012, 22:13 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-697: Yeah Right, only in their brokeback dreams. Ranger is straight, so forget about his @ss !!!
15 Oct 2012, 22:15 pm
@wnbb-698: you wish
in fact the response was mild to say the least.
now stop talking anout my ar se ok you weirdo?
15 Oct 2012, 22:15 pm
@rangerman-689: predominantly black kids do swim and enjoy their swimming at a socially amenable level but very few across the globe even in societies that are not constrained by prejudicial preferences do not produce huge output of star swimmers.. yet those same societies produce football stars. athletes, basket ball stars and the rest.. so black kids do not take to swimming like they do to the other sports closer to their natural inherent genetic prowess and identification..
Rugby is NOT a white supremacist sport.. as much as some you inherent racists want to continue believing it is.
15 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@rangerman-701: Eish boet, keep ur @ss tight against the wall, El crapo and his brokeback buddies are after ur @SS
15 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
Ha ha, I see I’ve been blamed for reporting Skoppie. How amusing, but sadly not true. He’s my little ****** here in keo. Why would I put him out on the street?
The only guy who gets Skoppie banned is Skoppie himself. Frankly I’m surprised it doesn’t happen at least fortnightly.
15 Oct 2012, 22:17 pm
@sharks_lover-696: Yeah… They cowards… Most definitely Capies… Farken proper pillowbiting poppers pros…
15 Oct 2012, 22:17 pm
I think i will use another example. Remember that huge jaguars lock. Shaba i think. Think and big always ran over people in the first half and got tackeld shtless in the second. Never went to a white school he was like a many naturally big and thick. Its just that kids in poorer places in all sports are at a disadvantage due to a lack of facilities and surport…
15 Oct 2012, 22:18 pm
@wnbb-698:
Only in the Cape do you celebrate victory by “owning arse”
15 Oct 2012, 22:18 pm
@blue and white stripes-605: Hey tjomma, I seem to have upset you a widdle bit. Want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.
15 Oct 2012, 22:18 pm
@rangerman-689:
Maybe you should go and watch some athletics to see who are the faster. Maybe you can get some info re speed work from your franchise, I don’t know.
In general your average black rugby player is faster than your average white rugby player. There is always exceptions to the rule, of course.
White players will generally dominate in the forwards because they are bigger and stronger (at present). Again, there are exceptions to the rule. However, there is no reason why they should dominate in the back line because the Black/Coloured players are clearly faster and more skilful that their white counter parts at present. Except of course if the coach prefer a slower, less skilful but bigger player to play in the back line.
15 Oct 2012, 22:19 pm
@katman-706: Yup you got blammed
15 Oct 2012, 22:19 pm
@rangerman-695: you are up the peoples arses here man.. you the worst goddamn two faced racist I yet come across .. you and your boertjie pseudo intellect sidekick pretending to be all goddamn ‘liberal’
15 Oct 2012, 22:21 pm
@Heavens Game-707: yup boet.
your thoughts on the weekends match??
15 Oct 2012, 22:21 pm
@nama1-690:
no, you missing the point here.
this is about ranger stating something all of us know to be true, on average, and skop responding that he is an outright racist for saying so.
here’s ranger’s statement:
“simply put, most black players are not as fast, strong or skilful as most of their white counterparts at present.”
and here is the ozzie guys statement:
“The coaches are going for the bigger, stronger Polynesian players, rather than the quicker, more agile players”
“so much so, that a decline in young players of Aboriginal and European descent has seen some authorities ask for the rules to be changed, the most important a weight for age rule that concerned parents are pushing for out of the safety of their children.
Young Pacific island boys tended to develop faster than others and it was no uncommon to see kids weigh as much as 95kg in an under 11 match. That has created a dangerous mismatch in some games.”
compare the two and tell my why its any different for the one or other just to say what is a clear and obvious truth about physical differences in people of different races, ethnicities and cultures?
especially when it pertains to young people of a certain age, its all the more important i think when making considerations.
15 Oct 2012, 22:22 pm
No Victoria.Earlier on today Guppy supporters performed back-slapping rituals proclaiming they owned certain bloggers.They don’t have monopoly owning bloggers on here.Just returning serve.
15 Oct 2012, 22:23 pm
@victoriabok-709:
aint that a fact
15 Oct 2012, 22:24 pm
@skunk-708: that was precisely my point bud.
@ahasaid theclown-713: yes yes being called a racist by a guy who thinks black people cant swim duie to genetics is like a badge of honour loser
@nama1-711: so you will agree then that my statement was not racist as you have said the exact same thing as me but simply changed the colours?
15 Oct 2012, 22:24 pm
What is stunningly amazing is how one totally historically compromised group can so openly twist the truth and blatantly lie and then further lie outright when they claim that those who provide the facts , unanswered by the liars, take a whipping. Only in B & W S.Africa.
The likes of Peter Mk., mxhosa, Xhosakid, Trans. and a host more do not stand back to concede on any worthy, relevant point. It is really an unfair war for history is totally on their side.
When E.Cape rugby is the talking point even the maggots become roaring racists.
15 Oct 2012, 22:24 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-715: Exactly Bakkies,
15 Oct 2012, 22:25 pm
@skunk-708: they do not get the recognition.. if this Mtembu kid gets promoted as fast and furiously as PSDT and Coetsee does.. then let me see the result.. so far its the white kid that gets pushed along to succeed and the black kid got to do it against all the odds… let see why and why not..although it can be said that Sharks are at the forefront of promoting black talent in the country they still someway behind the overall national requirement.
Coetsee should not have been promoted ahead of Kolisi full stop. Kolisi is far and away a better all round rugby player in every respect.. the coaches are prejudiced and blind.
15 Oct 2012, 22:26 pm
So…. We have the return of dumb and dumber?
15 Oct 2012, 22:26 pm
@wnbb-698: Bullshitt man… Nama farken cant own anyone if he tried…
Richtersveld mentality – keep walking, do not deviate from your straightline path in the desert… until you find water…
And then drink from the wells of wisdom…
Sharkie wisdom…
Now STFU, right?
As for the farken Bob Dylan Joker to the Thief fanboy… words fail me… Yet another nick… A sh.yte one this time… Must be losing his mojo…
15 Oct 2012, 22:27 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-715: because people automatically respond based on the side of the divide created by our upbringing in this country instead of considering the merits of the discussion.
at least it opens up space for debate
15 Oct 2012, 22:28 pm
Jissus,this SL is a real guppy *****!!Running to Kakman like a girl with a wet panty.Ffs stop behaving like a polly man!!
15 Oct 2012, 22:28 pm
@sharks_lover-702:
huh?
boet, i was responding to nama’s s.hitty choices of either a 20yr old sharkie or a 20yr old stormer and having to choose between the two, which he gave in post #686.
i wuld rather choose a bull
15 Oct 2012, 22:28 pm
@phil72-722: Yes you just walked in Dumbboy, Run outa meths in DAnville again??
15 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-726:
15 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@sharks_lover-727:
How you know i was talking about you? impressive!
15 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@Mostofyou-719: yes yes, we should not debate.
debate is racist, if you are white.
get fukked stalin.
15 Oct 2012, 22:30 pm
@wnbb-725: Hey brokebackboy, stfu ur drooling **** from ur lips.
15 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
@sharks_lover-731:
The Scotch done?
15 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
snoeky and wnbb.
“up peoples arses”
“owning arses”
is there no end to the confirmstion of stereotypes?
15 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
@sharks_lover-714: Not for me this pussyfooting around about this weekend’s match and being all polite about it… I reckon the Sharks going to give the Blue Balls a PK…
- Peaking at just the right time
- Chaps are hungry
- Keegan and Pat have a point to prove
- Plum has a little philosophical rugby point to prove especially in light of the National structures that Heyneke and Rassie have visualised…
Fark that… I am booking for the final in Durbs next week.
15 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
@phil72-729: uhm i didnt assume you were speaking about me, but i was speaking about you, cnutplug
15 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
Skop
Marcel and PSDT were in the same boat last season. I know you love the boogyman stuff but he is getting groomed like any other youngster. It doesnt help that the team captain plays the same position. The only player of color that i feel was mistreated was Vulindlu. And I know people will hate me for this but D I C K could not let himself to play him at 13. Now like most black guy with pace he plays wing.
15 Oct 2012, 22:32 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-715:
The problem with Rangerman’s statement is that it isn’t true.
I’ve already amended the statement that you copied. That one rings more true, don’t you think? For Rangerman’s to be true, it should read like this:
“simply put, most black players are not as big and strong as most of their white counterparts at present even though they are faster and more skilful.”
15 Oct 2012, 22:33 pm
@sharks_lover-735:
Talking about balls… have you grown a pair yet?
15 Oct 2012, 22:34 pm
The Bluff has come out to play again.SL and his motley crew of long haired prima donnas back to make their names’gat’ again.
15 Oct 2012, 22:34 pm
@rangerman-724:
hehe
there’s enough space to build a reconciliation bridge between two pacific islands and get over it by the looks of things here.
15 Oct 2012, 22:34 pm
@rangerman-733:
It’s certainly against Capo’s parole conditions.
15 Oct 2012, 22:34 pm
@Heavens Game-734:
good positive thought,
For me plum needs to do one thing, i know we have the better team, PLum needs to mentally prepare the boys for war, i have no doubt the only way the Bulls can win is to niggle and try bully us up front,
We need to just focus on our skills and klap these okes. Also hoping as i will be there that it dont farking rain again
15 Oct 2012, 22:35 pm
@skunk-736:
” I know you love the boogyman stuff but he is getting groomed like any other youngster.
bwaahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
sorry snoeky you tanked badly there our little pseudo lib.
15 Oct 2012, 22:35 pm
@wnbb-739:
They must get it over and done with and just get a hotel room…. (some fantastic deals happening in the bluff i hear)
15 Oct 2012, 22:36 pm
But what would the wifies say?
15 Oct 2012, 22:37 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-740: hehehe.
@nama1-737: so do you think white guys need a bit more nutrition?
15 Oct 2012, 22:37 pm
here we go again with the “blogshaggings”
RL did no such thing.
15 Oct 2012, 22:37 pm
@ahasaid theclown-704: So,
White men cant jump
Black men cant swim
and Jews will always be victims…
That what you saying?
.
15 Oct 2012, 22:38 pm
@Heavens Game-734:
nice
thats the hg i’ve been waiting for, bring it… bring it… you fokkenn breker…
@nama1-737:
you doing the two foot shuffle, nama
fyi i dont dance
15 Oct 2012, 22:38 pm
@Transformation-747: do you want me to be the arbiter?
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