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Bollocks Laurie Mains! Don’t blame quotas!

To blame quotas for the current pathetic form of the Springbok rugby team is absolute nonsense!

Yes, by 2019 quotas can have a major impact on the performance of the Springboks. If half of the World Cup squad must be made up of players of colour and their selection is not based on merit, then I agree.

Yes, the quota system does have a major influence on young white players moving abroad and creating better opportunities for themselves to eventually play international rugby.

In the short term this may have a minor effect on the strength of our teams, but long term this will have a major impact on the strength of not only the Springbok team, but also all South African sports teams. So in this regard Laurie Mains is correct.

But to lay the blame for the current woes regarding Springbok performance on quotas is plain bollocks. The problem is NOT quotas.

On the contrary, the cause of current performance problems is twofold.

Firstly, the exchange rate. This is the major reason why our top players are leaving South Africa and plying their trade overseas. Players have a limited number of playing years to provide for their future, so one cannot blame them.

This has nothing to do with quotas.

Secondly, and more importantly, is the fact that overseas-based players are not considered for Springbok selection, unless exceptional reasons exists – for example if all local flyhalves of international caliber are injured and the only alternative is an overseas–based player.

This has nothing to do with quotas.

The two problems mentioned, namely the exchange rate and selection criteria, result in the Springbok team having to be selected from a much smaller international–caliber player­ base locally, compared to other countries, with the exception of Argentina.

Imagine what would happen to the Pumas if they did not select their overseas-based players who make up almost 100% of their team.

All the top players in New Zealand, for example, are contracted by the NZRU. They don’t have an exchange rate problem, neither do the other top rated countries like Australia, England and so forth. Therefore their teams are always at full strength.

As for the Springbok team that played Ireland, who were the so-called quota players in the team? Yes, we will always disagree on selection, even if all 15 players selected were white, but I do believe that Allister Coetzee selected his team without considering quotas, although I would have selected Jaco Kriel before Siya Kolisi.

What about Willie le Roux for example? I can think of a more than one player of colour who would have performed better at fullback than him. If Allister Coetzee was really forced to employ “quotas”, then surely there were better options than Le Roux, instead of hoping that he’d regain his 2015 form.

No Laurie Mains, and all who agree with him, I simply HATE anything to do with a quota system, but please don’t blame quotas for our current woeful Springbok performances.

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