18 The Times Monday August 25 | 20 14 S P O RT Expect Boks debate to linger NOBEL peace l au r e at e black players “to settle Desmond Tutu this week down and earn their spurs”. called for more black The problem is that the players in the Springboks, “sp u r s ” he refers to are in criticising the “tortoise fact the Springbok jersey, pace” of racial integration and in sport, that is earned in our national rugby team. before selection, not after. Special mention was made Forcing the selection of of “the hurtful selection of black players, and then still black players as peripheral What sense does it make making coaches accountable squad members, never given to continue to pick from for results, means that two the chance to settle down only three million of them? criteria — performance and and earn their spurs”. Even if the remaining transformation — are in This is an issue that seven million can provide competition with one simmers in the background only five world-class Boks, another. of SA sport, occasionally what Springbok fan would The coach will obey the coming to the boil, such as not want those five players most pressing. Because when only two black in green and gold? that is performance, it players are named in the The concept of actually encourages the Springbok squad, neither transformation, in the “hurtful selection of black making the starting XV. Or sense that it would expand players as peripheral squad when a government report the resource pool by adding members”. finds that a threefold black players The point is, increase in black preferentially, is thus transformation doesn’t representation is needed to crucial for performance. work as a “pulling” hit targets, as happened The point is made when concept. The downsides earlier this year. you consider the opposite outweigh potential benefits, It is easy to dismiss Tutu’s scenario — imagine New and you will keep returning claims as the latest in the Zealand decided tomorrow to the same situation. meddling of politicians that players of Maori Th at ’s why the without any rugby Springboks, or any other knowledge. The Ef fe c t i ve professional team, cannot “p o l i t i c i s at i o n ” of sport be the barometer by which angers fans more than any t ra n sfo r m at i o n transformation is judged. other issue, and the reaction And while the SA Rugby to Tutu’s comments was would allow Un i o n can point to attempts predictably hostile. at transformation at lower South Africans want a selection from levels, the constant media winning team, and respond ‘ attention and focus on the to calls for transformation the entire pool pinnacle has created the with a position that of talent “tortoise pace” perception winning is the only thing that Tutu refers to. that matters, and so high In the middle of all this is performance and politics ancestry would no longer the question of whether the don’t belong together. be eligible to wear the All target population (those There is, however, a high Black jersey. That would be 10 million boys) actually performance argument in a policy detrimental to wants to play rugby? The favour of transformation p e r fo r m a n c e . decision-makers may well (and Tutu’s call, to some Just because we have be forcing their ambitions extent). The starting point produced a similar situation on a population that doesn’t is the realisation that we slowly does not change the actually share it. currently compete against implication — our team Th e r e ’s much data on the the All Blacks, Australia would be stronger if we numbers of players at and England at perhaps expanded the group from different levels, but I’ve yet only 30% of our capacity. which players could be to see anyone quantify that Effective transformation chosen. which is not there, would allow selection from Where our attempts at including the choices made the entire pool of talent, transformation fail, by young boys. rather than a small portion however, is as a short-term That may be social and that is eligible only because solution, and this is where cultural, and can’t be of historical discrimination. the politicians have resolved by policies that In other words, if South consistently faltered. pull players through before Africa has 10 million boys Tu tu ’s own quote reveals earning their spurs. aged five to 16, we have this when he bemoans the Expect the pot to keep 10 million future Springboks. lack of opportunity for simmering. WP go top as defence takes teeth out of Lions CRAIG RAY man who could sidestep forced the Lions into poor someone in a shoe box, decisions, or found a way WESTERN Province have always posed danger when to snaffle possession laid down a marker proving there was a sniff of a t h e m s e lve s . that they possess several turnover, while wings In all the home team ways to win a rugby game Kobus van Wyk and scored three tries and can after their gritty 27-14 Seabelo Senatla were now head to Loftus for victory over the Golden willing accomplices. their return match against Lions on Saturday. However, the platform the Blue Bulls this The result lifted WP to the for victory was laid by weekend confident that top of the Currie Cup WP’s superior work at the they can win under any standings, a point clear of breakdown, where flank c i r c u m st a n c e s . the Sharks, who now remain Siya Kolisi in particular, “We were one try away the only other unbeaten was a Trojan. from a bonus in the end team in the competition after Lesser teams would have and when you don’t earn they secured a 19-16 win over folded under the weight of one, it’s important to the Cheetahs in Durban. possession the Lions prevent the opposition At Newlands the Lions enjoyed but WP have from scoring a bonus point enjoyed most of the tapped into their defensive and we did that,” coach territory and possession but DNA, which has been part Allister Coetzee said. simply couldn’t crack WP’s of the game plan since The Lions’ Jo h a n defence or discipline. After 2009, and made the most of Ackermann was unhappy conceding 34 penalties in their chances. with his team’s execution. their opening two games, They held their nerve “We created many half- WP were exemplary in all even when they were chances but lost patience facets of play. forced to defend for 19 with our execution,” Fullback Cheslin Kolbe, a phases and inevitably Ackermann said..