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Comment by Stephen Nell
Cape Town - The transformation debate that has been waging over the past few weeks leads one to wonder why so few black players progress to senior level.
When the make-up of certain junior teams is considered, it’s actually quite logical that Absa query why that diversity is not reflected at senior provincial level.
For example, the Western Province under-21 side that won South Africa’s provincial championship in 2007 by beating the Blue Bulls 31-17 in the final, contained 9 players of colour in the match-day 22.
They were Cameron Peverett, Ricardo Croy, Morné Jooste, Morgan Newman, Dabeon Draghoender, Terry Jacobs, Hayden Groepes, Alastair Siegelaar and Marvin Christians.
These days one only sees Newman in the WP set-up and it is believed he has a knee injury that will again sideline him for an extended period.
Peverett and Draghoender both played for Maties in the national club championships last week, while Jacobs represented Hamiltons.
Siegelaar is with the Golden Lions and Groepes with the Blue Bulls.
Not every under-21 player is good enough to make it at senior level.
It’s inevitable that some of them will not develop physically, while others may not be professional enough in their approach and others may just not be good enough.
There are a number of white players in that WP under-21 team that also did not make it.
Only three players from the starting line-up – JC Kritzinger, Deon Fourie and De Kock Steenkamp – have become regulars for the senior team.
Conrad Hoffmann has also played in the Currie Cup, but will continue his career at the Sharks from next season.
In the WP under-19 team of the same year, which also beat the Bulls in their final, Francois Hougaard played scrumhalf and Juan de Jongh at centre.
Province spotted De Jongh’s talent and managed him well, but the Bulls succeeded in luring Hougaard to Pretoria.
A rugby union’s challenge is therefore not limited to establishing good junior structures, but also includes talent identification and contracting.
It is sometimes said that WP are a microcosm of South Africa rugby.
It was interesting, therefore, that the recent Absa controversy came days after uneasiness among WP officials about talented youngsters being lost (Hoffmann to the Sharks, as an example) and a lack of diversity in the senior team.
Considering the facts, it is actually quite understandable that rugby officials such as Peter Jooste and Thelo Wakefield have voiced their concerns.
Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee no doubt want the best for WP rugby.
However, the WP under-21 side of 2007 may well offer an interesting case study.
Could those players really have been so poor if WP won the provincial title?
It is only an example and there are probably numerous similar situations at other provinces.
For rugby bosses the challenge is most likely to try and pin down the factors that prevent players from progressing to senior level.
And also try and nail down the environment in which gifted players like De Jongh, Lwazi Mvovo and Elton Jantjies advanced.
Cape Town - The transformation debate that has been waging over the past few weeks leads one to wonder why so few black players progress to senior level.
When the make-up of certain junior teams is considered, it’s actually quite logical that Absa query why that diversity is not reflected at senior provincial level.
For example, the Western Province under-21 side that won South Africa’s provincial championship in 2007 by beating the Blue Bulls 31-17 in the final, contained 9 players of colour in the match-day 22.
They were Cameron Peverett, Ricardo Croy, Morné Jooste, Morgan Newman, Dabeon Draghoender, Terry Jacobs, Hayden Groepes, Alastair Siegelaar and Marvin Christians.
These days one only sees Newman in the WP set-up and it is believed he has a knee injury that will again sideline him for an extended period.
Peverett and Draghoender both played for Maties in the national club championships last week, while Jacobs represented Hamiltons.
Siegelaar is with the Golden Lions and Groepes with the Blue Bulls.
Not every under-21 player is good enough to make it at senior level.
It’s inevitable that some of them will not develop physically, while others may not be professional enough in their approach and others may just not be good enough.
There are a number of white players in that WP under-21 team that also did not make it.
Only three players from the starting line-up – JC Kritzinger, Deon Fourie and De Kock Steenkamp – have become regulars for the senior team.
Conrad Hoffmann has also played in the Currie Cup, but will continue his career at the Sharks from next season.
In the WP under-19 team of the same year, which also beat the Bulls in their final, Francois Hougaard played scrumhalf and Juan de Jongh at centre.
Province spotted De Jongh’s talent and managed him well, but the Bulls succeeded in luring Hougaard to Pretoria.
A rugby union’s challenge is therefore not limited to establishing good junior structures, but also includes talent identification and contracting.
It is sometimes said that WP are a microcosm of South Africa rugby.
It was interesting, therefore, that the recent Absa controversy came days after uneasiness among WP officials about talented youngsters being lost (Hoffmann to the Sharks, as an example) and a lack of diversity in the senior team.
Considering the facts, it is actually quite understandable that rugby officials such as Peter Jooste and Thelo Wakefield have voiced their concerns.
Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee no doubt want the best for WP rugby.
However, the WP under-21 side of 2007 may well offer an interesting case study.
Could those players really have been so poor if WP won the provincial title?
It is only an example and there are probably numerous similar situations at other provinces.
For rugby bosses the challenge is most likely to try and pin down the factors that prevent players from progressing to senior level.
And also try and nail down the environment in which gifted players like De Jongh, Lwazi Mvovo and Elton Jantjies advanced.
