I have been noticing something more and more on social media nowadays. Apparently, transformation is the reason for the woes of the Springboks ... at least according to some fans.
After every Bok game, particularly poor ones, fans take to facebook, Twitter, comment on blogs, online posts and whatever other platform available to rant about the negative’ impact of the forced’ inclusion of black players on the performance of the Springboks.
These people direct their frustration towards transformation. It makes we wonder where we are going as a country because to blame everything on transformation is just plain wrong.
Never mind the fact that that are other (actual) contributing factors to the weakened performances we have seen from the Boks.
What about their defence, their game plan, their coaching or a variety of other relevant factors. Now that the Springboks are at their lowest they have been a while, transformation is the convenient culprit. The thing that some people swear to be at the core of all that is going wrong for their beloved Boks.
When the Boks lost the first match of the three-Test series against Ireland at Newlands, the topic of transformation was trending. Since then, whenever and wherever rugby was the topic of discussion, I have seen and heard “this is what happens when you select black players just to reach transformation targets”. And it has continued ever since.
Since that first Test, black players like Elton Jantjies and Lionel Mapoe have been at the centre of the transformation dartboard. It seemed like it was forgotten that Jantjies has been the form flyhalf in the country and that there wasn’t (and there still isn’t) any other flyhalf who had been performing better than him.
Mapoe had also been performing week in and week out for the Lions, but when he struggled in the green and gold jersey, these transformation haters didn’t bother to look at the reasons as to WHY he couldn’t bring his A game, they just felt that he didn’t belong there.
When the Springboks were lucky to bag a last-gasp win against Argentina, that very same tune was loudly sung again.
Blindside flanker Oupa Mohoje was the standout performer for the Springboks. His selection raised a lot of eyebrows, but he justified his spot by being excellent in the Boks’ otherwise poor defensive effort and making the most tackles. He also contributed at the breakdowns and in open play.
Tendai Mtwarira started in his 80th Test, and although he has been struggling to find his past form, his selection as the first-choice loosened prop can’t be questioned.
Even Bryan Habana has been questioned. Currently the most experienced player in the Bok jersey. Yes his age probably makes him a questionable candidate for the next World Cup, but who is up to it to replace him on the wing?
It’s time fans understand the dynamics of our country and stop blaming transformation. And I have a message for them: It’s not like there is a black player in the Springbok squad that does not belong there. If anything, there are black players who deserve to be there but aren’t.
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Cape Times