Moves are certainly afoot to speed up the transformation process and if the politicians need anything to back up their plans, they need look no further than the slow progress of transformation in the Springbok side at World Cup tournaments.
In 1995, the only non-white player in the 'Bok squad was the brilliant wing Chester Williams, and four years later there were four black players: Breyton Paulse, Deon Kayser, Wayne Julies and Kaya Malotana. Paulse was the only regular starter of the four.
In 2003, under Rudolf Straeuli, five black players were part of the squad of 30: Paulse, Lawrence Sephaka, Ashwin Willemse, Ricardo Loubscher and Dale Santon.
Twelve years on from that victorious day at Ellis Park when the 'Boks beat the All Blacks in the 1995 final, there are only six black players in the squad -- four of them wings Willemse, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Akona Ndungane.
The other two are scrumhalf Ricky Januarie and prop Gurthro Steenkamp.
The 'Boks are indeed among the favorites to triumph in France but while they might win on the field, the politicians will see nothing other than failure due to the composition of a non-transformed 'Bok team supposedly representing the "rainbow nation."
In 2007 Rugby World Cup warmup matches, the Springboks faced Irish province Connacht in Galway yesterday and will play against Scotland on Saturday at Murrayfield.
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