Posted on February 23, 2005

SA Rugby Increases Super 12 Race Quotas

SARugby.com, Jan. 21

SA Rugby has stipulated that each of the four South African Super 12 squads must contain at least eight black players this season!

That is nearly a 50% increase in each 30-man squad compared to last season.

SA Rugby said the decision had been taken at a meeting of the four Super 12 coaches, national coach Jake White and deputy president Andre Markgraaff.

Last year of the 117 players who appeared for South African franchises, 23 were classified as black.

Much criticism has been given to South Africa’s “quota systems”!

Most argue that the system is flawed as it does not promote excellence and merely awards players opportunity based on their race, rather than their level of skill and talent.

Many of these “black” players resent the label of “Quota” player and would rather earn their position. Merely handing out a position to player on the basis of colour leaves the respective player with a shallow sense of achievement.

Breyton Paulse, who earnt his 50th Springbok cap last season is a fantastic player and believed that he had finally shrugged off the label of “quota player” — that was until, he was drafted into the Bok team for one of their “Grand Slam” encounters, in an eleventh hour demand by “the powers that be” after pressure from the ANC Youth League.

All things aside, the new quota demands will give the “previously disadvantaged” the opportunity to shine on the global stage!