Are the Springboks still 'too white'?

A South African Rugby Union (SARU) report indicates that the world's top-ranked team, the Springboks, have not achieved the mandated level of transformation.

This 206-page audit is part of SA Rugby's Strategic Transformation Development Plan for 2030.

The plan aligns with the government's mandate that national sports teams be 60% Black and Coloured by 2030.

The report reveals that in 2023, the Springboks were expected to have 54% 'generic Black' players (including Black, Coloured, and Indian players), with a specific target of 27% 'ethnically Black' players.

However, during the Rugby Championship, the team consisted of only 39% generic Black players with just 13% being ethnically Black.

During their victorious World Cup campaign in France, the composition was 38% 'generic Black' players of whom 16% were 'ethnic Black'.

These findings were shared in an article by the Rapport titled 'Bok team is too white, Saru complains' (translated from Afrikaans).

Koning argues that the industry has become a 'numbers game' driven by clicks and viewership, leading to 'cherry-picked' statistics focussing solely on the negative.

He also highlights that demographic differences across provinces result in varying targets and goals.