After what can at best be described as a shambolic loss to the Pumas over the weekend (at worst described as a criminally inept performance that is a shame to the jersey) attention has once again turned to the lack of black players in the starting line-up.

It was Cosatu’s provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich who led the criticism, firing some serious shots yesterday aimed at the top brass and Heyneke Meyer in particular. Below from IOL:

“The team only had two black South African players in the starting line-up. No other team could possibly perform worse than this team and we insist that a more representative team be picked for the next game.”

Ehrenreich said Meyer did not have the national interest at heart, and said the coach “demonstrates a sense of arrogance in disregarding the interest of the majority of South Africans, by treating SA rugby as his private fiefdom”…

“When coach (Peter) De Villiers led the team, the white establishment was quick to criticise him, yet there is a deafening silence now. There is a white cabal which still tries to control the rugby team and who gets to play in it…

“The rugby establishment defends the privileged position of white players and the captain Jean de Villiers is an example of this. Any other player, anywhere else in the world, would have to play himself back into the team after such a long absence, yet he gets to just walk back into the team,” said Cosatu.

He finished his tirade by calling on Fikile Mbalula to step in and remove Meyer from his post, as well as selecting a team that is more representative of South Africa’s citizens.

It has since emerged, according to Sport24, that five black Springboks have approached Cosatu and are unhappy with issues like being sidelined in matches:

“Unfortunately for obvious reasons we are not in a position to give names because, at the end of the day, we still have to sit down and engage with them so they can give a clear overview of what is happening,” [Western Cape Cosatu chairperson Motlatsi] Tsubane said.

He said the players were afraid to speak out for fear of being victimised.

“In the days to come, we are going to set up a meeting with them”.

Tsubane also added that two white players had added their voices to those unhappy with black players being sidelined, their names also withheld for the time being.

All of this will do little to alleviate the pressure felt by Meyer as the Boks slip to fifth place in the world rankings after a truly humiliating first defeat at the hands of the Pumas. One feels that Trevor Nyakane may well get the nod ahead of Vincent Koch who, I’m guessing, is still in hiding following a scrumming display best left undiscussed.

Perhaps we can expect wholesale changes for this Saturday’s test in Argentina but I don’t imagine those will do much to get Cosatu off Heyneke’s back, not by a long shot.

[sources:iol&sport24]