A LEADING SOUTH African trade union has called for Springboks head coach Heyneke Meyer to be fired, claiming that he is continually favouring white players in his team selections.
Cosatu (Congress of South African Trade Unions) say that five black rugby players have approached them for support in the matter, and that two white South African internationals have also backed them privately.
In a lengthy statement released today, the union demanded the Meyer be replaced as head coach for his team selections.
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In February, the South African Union said that each matchday 23 would contain seven non-white players in the build up to the Rugby World Cup, but that guideline – which is not an official quota – was not met in recent games, with three non-white starting players and three substitutes selected in the defeat to Australia.
The trade union also claim that Meyer is continually picking white players to play out of position in test matches, rather than select in-form black players.
In the explosive statement, the trade union also claimed that black players aren’t trusted to play in certain positions, with black players approaching them to raise their concern.
Tendai Mtawarira was one of just three non-white players to start against Argentina last Saturday. Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland
The return of captain Jean de Villiers from his cruciate ligament injury has also been criticised, with the statement saying that any other player would have to earn his place back in the side.
The statement was released after chairperson of the Western Cape branch of the union Motlatsi Tsubane said that five black players had raised their concern, and that a further two white players “put their weight behind the matter”.
South African face Argentina this Saturday in their final game before the Rugby World Cup, a week after suffering their first ever test defeat to the Pumas in Durban.
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