De Villiers the 'ultimate traitor'
Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:19
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers, on the same day that his team suffered their first Tri-Nations defeat, had to read that the politicians are calling for his head.
However, it is nothing to do with his team's 6-21 loss to Australia in Brisbane.
It is all about the 'lack of transformation' in the Bok team.
Reports in the Independent Group newspapers on Saturday revealed that the very people who backed De Villiers' appointment less than a year-and-a-half ago are baying for his blood.
Asad Bhorat, secretary of the Transformation and Anti-Racism Rugby Committee (TARC), a national coalition of black rugby clubs, has called De Villiers the "ultimate traitor".
He says the coach will be summoned to appear before TARC and Parliament's standing committee on sports and recreation on his return from Australasia for failing to transform the team after famously proclaiming he would never pick fewer than 10 black players in his starting line-up.
Bhorat told the Saturday Star that De Villiers had let his "ego be inflated by his winning streak" and had silently become submissive" to SA Rugby by fielding an almost all-white team in the Tri-Nations.
De Villiers has fielded just three black players in his starting line-up and has only eight black players in his Tri-Nations squad.
"Sacrificing one's principles is tormenting enough but betraying the trust of a nation hoping for change is another thing altogether.
"It is now clear De Villiers has turned his back on this support, choosing instead to chase the mirage of white rugby support. This decision will, inevitably, prove to be fatally flawed."
SA Rugby hit back saying De Villiers not only had an outstanding record as a Springbok coach - better than his six predecessors - he also has a "far, far better" record on transformation, spokesman Andy Colquhoun said.
Bhorat said the current representation by black rugby players is unacceptable, insulting and painful.
"Gloves off. The TARC and the sports portfolio committee have not criticised [De Villiers] up to now because we were giving him time and space. But no more. He will not be protected anymore."
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