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The Bulls defeated the Sharks 49-28 and the Stormers defeated the Lions 34-21 behind closed doors in preparation matches between the republic’s four Super Rugby teams.
PRETORIA – Several players knelt and the national body re-committed to fighting racism when rugby was restarted in South Africa on Saturday after a six-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bulls defeated the Sharks 49-28 and the Stormers defeated the Lions 34-21 behind closed doors in preparation matches between the four Republic Super Rugby teams.
South African Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa recently criticized eight South Africans from the English club Sale Sharks for failing to kneel in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Some Lions waved in support of racial justice at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria and the Sharks wore “We Say No to Racism” jerseys before kick-off.
A set of principles that South African rugby reject discrimination and racism on the public address system was read before both games and included in the television broadcast.
The creed began by stating that “South African rugby is committed to an environment in which everyone is welcome, regardless of race, color, creed or gender.”
“We recognize the painful inequalities of our country’s past – and its present – and that they must be eradicated.
“We must continually maintain and improve an environment that is fair and respectful, where people from different backgrounds feel accepted and valued.
“Ours is a sport for all, where we celebrate diversity and inclusion and are committed to a better future for all.
“As South Africans, we have shown that together we are stronger. We will not be divided,” he concluded.
- Tobias First Springbok black –
Although rugby has been played by all races in South Africa, only whites were able to represent the national team, the Springboks, for 90 years since its inception in 1891.
In 1981, Errol Tobias became the first black Springbok when he played against Ireland in Cape Town.
However, progress towards a multiracial national team has been torturous, with only one black, now deceased Chester Williams, on the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning team.
Two blacks, JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana, were on the 2007 Springboks team that became world champions.
Racial transformation finally took on urgency in 2018 with new national coach Rassie Erasmus and last year six black starters helped South Africa win the World Cup for the third time.
Among them was Siya Kolisi, who overcame years living in poverty to become the Springboks’ first black test captain.
In Pretoria, Kolisi was among the Stormers’ five try scorers against the Lions and said it was “one of the toughest rugby matches I have ever played.”
“Training alone, then in small groups for many months has been a great challenge. I missed talking nonsense with my teammates,” said the lazy forward.
The Bulls got off to a rocky start with new coach Jake White, who plotted the Springboks’ victory in the 2007 World Cup, scoring 35 unanswered points in 32 minutes.
A much better second-half performance by the Sharks yielded three attempts, but it was hard to believe that this was the team that topped the Super Rugby five-nation standings last March.
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