Something extraordinary happened last weekend.

Black players flooded Ellis Park and the Super Rugby match between the Lions and Sharks – and hardly anyone noticed.

Perhaps we’re growing up and managing the racial angst that hangs over so much of our sport.

To be fair, the angst is necessary given past imbalances. To others, the sense is we must move along and acknowledge that change is happening; transformation is real, finally.

The Lions copped it in recent years for not reflecting the realities of a black-dominated populace. It was a fair beef, although black players have long been in the system in Joburg, albeit chiefly at junior level.

There were seven black players in the Lions squad on Saturday. In past years, this might have been termed “window dressing”, a sop to the politicos and social media crusaders. Diehards would have struggled with that term last weekend as Sylvian Mabuza, Lionel Mapoe, Marvin Orie, Elton Jantjies and Aphiwe Dyantyi produced bravura performances.

Hacjivah by name and achiever by nature, loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani then came on in the second half to confirm the shift running through the province’s rugby. Big and strong, he threw himself about and got stuck in.

Remember his name, and not only because this proud son of a Jewish father from Nigeria and a sangoma mum has an unusual handle. This Jeppe old boy can play.

Dyantyi, too, was a revelation. While you expect first class wings to have gas, not all are blessed with intelligence or instinct. But Dyantyi was the full package as he beat his man, kicked a neat grubber along the touchline to nullify the defender and collected to score his first Super Rugby try.

You expect such alacrity from a grizzled 28-year-old, not a newbie playing his first game in the tournament.

The least surprising thing about Dyantyi is that he’s a product of Dale College, a veritable factory of fine black talent. He was deemed too small to crack the first XV, but there was nothing small about his performance last Saturday.

The Eastern Cape school has long had a system that runs with all the efficiency of a slick conveyor belt. Among those who can call Dale their alma mater are Sharks’ number eight Tera Mtembu, Gcobani Bobo, Tobela Mdaka, Bandise Maku, Shakes Soyizwapi, Chumani Booi, Bjorn Basson and Kaunda Ntunja, the first black captain of SA Schools.

The Sharks were no less transformed with a back division bristling with exciting black talent. Sbu Nkosi, another product of Jeppe, looks like a seasoned professional as he runs directly and dangerously.

Lukhanyo Am is a beast, fearless and formidable as he strong-arms the opposition with his presence. He was a very sassy buy by the Sharks, as was Makazole Mapimpi, who will surely play many games for South Africa. He’s that rarest of things, a savage finisher, and he will thrive so long as the Sharks realise the value he offers.

The original “Beast”, of course, still offers value, although perhaps more so now as a mentor where he can help youngsters ally savvy to strength in the front row. Mtawarira has enjoyed a glorious career in the number one jersey and could surely impart his wisdom of the dark arts to Sharks’ aspirants.

Elsewhere, there were more bright black beacons, like replacement Curwin Bosch who one moment late in the match scorched through the midfield, creating ripples of excitement among spectators.

Most are still undecided what is his best position. Less doubtful is the quality of his talent. He’s a tremendous player, vibrant and purposeful, and the answer may well simply lie in asking him where he wants to play.

Everywhere you look, classy black players are fast emerging. Given rugby’s divided past, it’s encouraging to see that the realities of South Africa are finally dawning on unions.

The old guard may rail against this sea change, but the inclusion of these players has added more than mere colour. It’s brought vibrancy, pace and joy to a game that has grappled for too long with its conscience.

Here’s hoping events at Ellis Park were not a false dawn, but a clear portend of great things to come. – @ Sunday Tribune

 

 

In 22 years of Super Rugby, just one South African team has managed to break the fierce Antipodean stranglehold.

Three times the Bulls have won, the last of them eight years ago. The Sharks cracked four finals, losing every one. And the Lions have lost the last two back-to-back.

That’s a pitiful return for a rugby-strong country like South Africa, where success is measured in bright and shiny trophies and wins against New Zealand and Australia constitute the very best kind.

The 2018 edition is days away. South African expectations are low. This is what happens when the Springboks go through the wringer, top players ship out and injuries mount.

Even the Lions, the SA go-to team in recent seasons, have an air of mystery around them now that Johan Ackerman has pitched his tent in England.

One thing you must never do is look at pre-season form as a barometer. Coaches like to keep their powder dry, mixing and matching and trying specific plays and combinations.

The champion Crusaders were belted the other day, but no-one seriously thinks they’ll be in trouble. The Sharks beat Racing 92, but it was a game designed for testing and tinkering. No-one ought to get too excited.

The real thing only starts on Saturday. The early winners may be determined by the teams that best get their heads around the inevitable law tweaks. There are five changes, none of them fundamentally game-altering, with continuity, player welfare and simplicity at their heart.

Perhaps in our lifetimes World Rugby will settle on a set of laws for longer than a single year. Until then, we must go along with the fiddling.

Yes, change is everywhere. Super Rugby is down to 15 teams – again – and already the tournament has a sleeker, smoother feel. The Kings and Cheetahs are off elsewhere, trying to forge new identities in an unforgiving environment.

Given that the three conference winners, plus the five next best teams, will qualify for the playoffs, the tournament will regain the integrity it lost in the 18-team rigmarole.

Better still is that each team will face 12 of the 14 others, ending the situation like last season when the Lions reached the final without facing the big dogs of New Zealand.

But anomalies remain. The Waratahs and the Reds will log huge airmiles as the only two teams travelling to all five competing countries, and yet the Highlanders will miss out altogether on Japan and Argentina.

A couple of key things define the four-team SA challenge.

For the Sharks, it will be all about winning front-foot ball for perhaps the most vibrant backs in SA rugby. The side tended to lose their way last year, but they’ll be more comfortable with the coach’s methods in his second season. They’ll need someone to flick the switch, though. Might it be Robert du Preez, one of the big off-season buy who has the look of Stephen Larkham about him?

Perhaps Makazole Mapimpi, another shrewd buy. He’ll score plenty this season.

The Stormers have a horribly long injury list, with two of their big men – Wilco Louw and Frans Malherbe – out for what looks like a long time. Their depth will be tested as never before.

At the Bulls, John Mitchell has done as expected, wielding the big stick. Rudi Paige and Jacques Potgieter were considered surplus to requirements and he has made the curious decision to appoint two fresh-faced captains. Mitchell is a strong systems man with a relish for the technical stuff, so we may only see emerging buds this season rather than a full flourish.

The Lions have their key men back, chiefly Warren Whiteley, but you must wonder how the off-season earners in Japan, the UK and elsewhere impact on players’ physical wellbeing. It’s all very well to squawk about player welfare, but players themselves ought to be mindful of its importance.

The Currie Cup was a bit messy for them, but Swys Joubert knows what must be done. They ought to be there or thereabouts.

It’s almost time for the great jamboree, a lung-busting 127-match marathon. The northern hemisphere might look at it sniffily, and it’s not for everyone, but it’s never less than full-blooded and exciting.

Everything that rugby should be. – © Sunday Tribune