Halt All Racist Tours

Dear Messrs.

Mr. W. Beaumont (IRB Chairman)

Mr. P. Baines (RFU President)

Mr. D. Gethin (WRU President)

Mr, M. O'Sullivan (IRFU President)

Mr. E. Crozier (SRFU President)

Mr. P. Camou (FFR PResident)

Mr. A. Gavazzi (FIR PResident)

Mr. D. Crombie (ARU President)

Mr, D. Rhodes (NZRFU President)

I would refer you to the article below about the South African Minister of Sport who is imposing teams based on racial lines instead of merit.

We, the rugby loving public of South Africa, are extremely disgusted at our government interfering in sport in this racist manner. We had many years of isolation because of exactly this kind of behaviour from the National Party Government. At that time, your organisations correctly introduced the following measures:

In terms of By-Law 3 of the IRB rules and regulations, the IRB is compelled to prevent any form of racial discrimination in rugby.

IRB Regulation 20 also stipulates that any action which may be construed as racial discrimination will be regarded as misconduct.

In terms of By-Law 7, not only SARU is subject to the above; the provincial rugby unions resorting under SARU must adhere to these principles as well. In terms of By-Law 9.4(r) the IRB may institute disciplinary steps against any rugby body that violates these rules.

By-law 14:

(e)     A Union may be suspended or expelled from World Rugby membership pursuant to World Rugby Bye-Laws and/or Regulations if state authorities interfere in its affairs in such a manner that:

(i)      it may no longer be considered as fully responsible for the organisation of rugby related matters in its territory;

These rules were introduced at the behest of the ruling ANC government to break apartheid, yet they are being permitted to ignore the rules they fought for and are discrimination against non-black players. How is this different to discriminating against non-white players?

The reason there are so few players of colour is the ANC governments failure to include rugby on school currucula in government schools.

We saw the results of the demo tour of New Zealand in 1981 and we do not want a repeat of this situation.

We plead with you to invoke your regulations and inform SARU and the South African Government that this interference will not be tolerated.

We want the strongest possible team to face the World's best teams regardless of the racial make-up of the team, it can be 100% non-white as long as the team is the best available.

Do the right thing sir, and uphold the tradition of rugby

Mbalula spoke at the Springboks’ hotel in Cape Town before they play Ireland tomorrow in the beginning of a three Test series.

Sports minister Fikile Mbalula is pleased with the progress of transformation that Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has instilled in his short tenure.

Mbalula spoke at the Springboks’ hotel in Cape Town before they play Ireland tomorrow in the beginning of a three Test series.

The minster of sports and recreation believes that transformation comes part and parcel with Springbok rugby and that other sectors are meeting their targets.

“There’s a new coach and new players, the transformation trajectory is part of the journey to the next World Cup. In relation to the Boks, I think serious work has begun, not only at the national level, but at grassroots level … We’ve got an abundance of talent in South Africa, and we have to uncover it,” Mbalula told SARugby Magazine.

“Look at the U20 team playing in the World Championship, there is excellent talent coming out there. There’s also a lot of progress in the sevens team. There is a lot of talent in this country and it tells you about the talent we have at the various levels. There are other JP Pietersens and Bryan Habanas. Look at the likes of Garth April, give the likes of those players an opportunity, let them run, let them play … I’m excited by what I see at U20 level, at that incubation stage, which can supply talent to the top level.

The agreed upon targets for transformation has been set at having half the side as player of colour and 60% of those must be black African by the 2019 Rugby World Cup.