COSATU congratulates the Springboks on the improvement in performance in the test against England. We are pleased to see that there is an end to reserving some positions for white players. The new merit based system is seeing a lot more black players coming into the team. This is the way that the Springboks must behave if we are to get all the South Africans behind the team.

Cosatu expresses its alarm at the inclusion of old white players like Schalk Brits into the team. These old players are just being indulged by the old boys club to show that they still control the SA rugby. The time is here to give new black and white players an opportunity as we built for the World Cup.

We call on SARU to do more work with the development of the sport in Schools and at Club level. Cosatu also calls on SARU to take back the commercial rights to broadcast Test rugby from DSTV Super sport, to ensure that all South Africans can watch it on SABC. We call on Government to protect National sport for everyone’s National interest, given the huge amounts of public capital spent on Rugby.

Cosatu will stage a protest at Newlands if the old white players that are not needed, like Brits are included in the team. This is not a team where Rassie can include his friends into the team; it must be in the interest of the National team. These foreign based players must be used if they add value, like Vermuelen and Faf De klerk. But players like Willie Le Roux must be carefully considered as they do not add value, in spite of how they are spoken up by the white commentators.

For questions please call Tony at 082 7733194