Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

SA Rugby reacts to recent accusations of being silent on racism and inequality in their game

By Online Editors
(Photo by Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images)

South African Rugby bosses have claimed they are willing to have the “difficult and uncomfortable conversations”, insisting they are ready to tackle issues such as racism head-on. Speaking at a virtual media briefing this week which was reported by rugby365.com, SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux explained his organisation will not steer away from the burning issues on the table. 

ADVERTISEMENT

However, he made it clear these matters transcend far beyond just sport and involve “respect for human beings across the board” – whether that be Black Lives Matter, farm murders or gender-based violence.

A large group of South Africa’s leading non-white coaches and players recently accused SA Rugby of being silent on “racism and inequality” in the game, the group expressing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and saying they want to put an end to inequality in sport and oppose racism wherever it exists.

Video Spacer

RugbyPass brings you the second part of a conversation with Jake White on behalf of the Chris Burger and Petro Jackson Players’ Fund

Video Spacer

RugbyPass brings you the second part of a conversation with Jake White on behalf of the Chris Burger and Petro Jackson Players’ Fund

This was followed by Springbok captain Siya Kolisi breaking his silence, saying for him it was “more than just about sport”. In response, SA Rugby boss Roux made it clear they are in support of solving all the issues on the table.

“As a federation, with no disrespect to any of the other federations, we have been very good in acknowledging the sins and the wrongs of the past,” said Roux. “We have been making very good progress around transformation, especially in terms of the new strategic transformation plan we have set out up until 2030. Within that, there are 36 dimensions and we have agreed on targets with all our unions. We run audits (on those targets).”

While he was happy for players and coaches – including Kolisi – to express their views on any public forums, Roux said it is not just about the BLM movement. “What we are dealing with here – in terms of Black Lives Matter, farm murders, gender-based violence and all of the other problems the President (Cyril Ramaphosa) has asked us to look at in this country – transcends far beyond what transformation and a transformation plan are.

“We are now dealing with what is basically respect for others, respect for cultural differences, respect for human life and how we treat people on a daily basis.”

ADVERTISEMENT

He said SA Rugby and the sport have shown that they can materially influence certain elements in the way they operate and the way they react to those things. “In terms of Black Live Matter specifically, towards the issues that are currently on the table, we need to own up in terms of those conversations and not steer away from them. The first thing we need to do is to let people tell their stories.

“However, more importantly, we have to listen to those stories and hear what they are saying. We should let people voice what they believe is wrong. We have to continue the dialogue and we have to figure it out together. If we need to adapt to help figure it out, then absolutely we have to do that. What we should not do is steer away from uncomfortable conversations and awkward truths. Those are the realities of our lives.”

He reiterated that these are “very serious” matters that transcend way beyond sport and are part of people’s daily lives. “There are people voicing their concerns. We have to take those concerns, listen to what they say and look at where we stand in terms of those (issues). If we need to change our approach then we have to change.”

He added that director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has presented a plan around the fast-tracking of black coaches and getting the federation to the target much quicker. He made it clear that they must provide people with the opportunity to tell their stories, stories of how things possibly went wrong in the past.

ADVERTISEMENT

SA Rugby CEO Roux also described Springbok captain Kolisi as his own man. “He got himself into the position where he is. He led us to a World Cup-winning position. It’s not for me or anybody else in SA Rugby to tell him what he can and can’t say on any platform.

“He has enough leadership capabilities and enough respect from us to allow him to tell his own story. I will never tell Siya what he can and can’t say. He must express his own opinion. I respect Siya’s remarks and also every other person that wants to express an opinion about the matter.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

39 Go to comments
A
Adrian 12 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

39 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit
Search