‘Kings something special’
4 Aug 2010
Alan Solomons has hit back at criticism around the racial make-up of the Eastern Province Kings team.
On Monday, Simon Borchardt argued that the Kings should walk the talk when it comes to transformation, even though they are currently top of the Currie Cup First Division with wins over Boland, a Griffons side boosted by Free State players, and Border.
The make-up of the side for the last match against Boland consisted of four black players, but director of rugby Solomons brushed this off.
‘Mpho Mbiyozo was injured and for the first time this season less than a third of the side was black,’ Solomons told keo.co.za. ‘But that’s not what this team’s all about. There’s no numbers game and everyone is picked on merit. There is a relaxed atmosphere at training and guys speak English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. The black guys feel at home more than they do elsewhere.
‘I’ve selected a leadership group of six players, and only De Wet Barry isn’t from the Eastern Cape,’ added Solomons in mentioning Tiger Mangweni, Mzwandile Stick, Darron Nell, Rory Duncan, and Mbiyozo. ‘De Wet’s committed himself to the region, an example of that is him learning to speak Xhosa.
‘You can see from all the players’ body language how happy they are to be back home. My motto is bring them home and keep them home. They want to be part of something special.’
Solomons also noted how the complexion of the side changes from week to week according to availability, with this Saturday’s clash against the Valke consisting of eight players of colour (six of whom will start). He also added that the assistant coach is David Maidza and the CEO is Anele Pamba, while the majority of the back-room staff, from the physios to the manager, are also black.
Solomons has only been working full-time at the union for two months, and already the signs of progress are there. He believes the franchise will be ready for Super Rugby in a year and a half’s time.
‘As far as I’m concerned, we’ve been given unequivocal backing and a guarantee from Saru that we’ll be playing Super Rugby in 2013. We’re putting structures in place and I feel we’ll be ready a year by 2012. It’s got to happen now.
‘Although not every South African has links with the Eastern Cape, we should all be working together to support the union, not criticise it.
‘I’d love it if every black player who’s been developed in this region came back, because they get lost at some other unions. Without a Super Rugby franchise in the Eastern Cape they’ve had no aspirational pathway and their aspirations have been ignored. It’s going to be tough, but we’ve started a process.
‘We’re doing our best with the professional team, but it’s also about under-pinning that with high performance teams. We’ve begun working with the schools, age-group sides and universities in the region, which hasn’t been the case in the past as there’s essentially been no professional rugby here, and therefore none of the professional structures.’
Included in this process is building stronger relationships with the schools so that players don’t leave the region before they’ve finished their Matric, as is currently the case.
‘We’re undertaking a road trip to the top 27 schools in the region with guys like Danie Gerber and Robbie Kempson.
‘At times we might go sideways or a little backwards, but ultimately we’re moving forward. People in the region have seen what’s happening and interest is rising. We must also remember that we had the most representative rugby crowd for the Kings’ match against the Lions last year, which shows the interest and hunger for sport across all racial groups.’
By Grant Ball
546 Comments
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4 Aug 2010, 20:17 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-398: I know. That’s precisely what I was referring to. R.C.T. Makes perfect sense to me. Now if I could only get the great unwashed to agree….
4 Aug 2010, 20:18 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-395: Try some COD MW2 – incredible online
Have just finished BFBC 2 – great sound. Will start online when time and banshee permit – egotism runs away
4 Aug 2010, 20:19 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-401: Simply put, its the realism of the invisible hand in life
4 Aug 2010, 20:20 pm
@cab(cab)-400: “do gooders just get on with doing good and ain’t too bothered about sharing their views.” – classic
4 Aug 2010, 20:21 pm
@cab(cab)-400: There are a few genuine good people out there I guess. They are usually asking rich not-so-nice people for money to do their good, ironically.
Others do good to feel better, or to enforce a point of view.
I say: do whatever makes you feel good, as long as it doesn’t make another feel bad.
I’d legalise everything and tax it. yYou can give that money to the poor and stupid. I;m not into drugs but if that’s your thing go for it. Not into 5 dollar hoes either but if 2 people want to change for a 100 and a bumping of uglies is their jollies, who cares.
4 Aug 2010, 20:21 pm
hmmm so if everyone is an egotist what the fk happened when folk like Nelson M and mama T hit the scene?
If ppl only cared for themselves why would they stand in the way of a truck to protect there most dear?
4 Aug 2010, 20:22 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-401: @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-402:
Of course am an FPS man…
Too long to finish RTSs and dont like RPGs
4 Aug 2010, 20:24 pm
@cab(cab)-406: See 398. Musings of a janitor – it can be explained by maximum happiness
4 Aug 2010, 20:25 pm
@cab(cab)-406: Pardon but if you remember Mr Nelson was about to blow several people up before he went to jail. He had a life changing experience in there, and thank goodness he did.
There are exceptions to the rule, but in general people generally live down to my lowest expectations, until they do something even more stupid.
4 Aug 2010, 20:27 pm
Anyway, if you believe half the things people like me write on blogs like this, or believe we believe half the things we write then you need your head read.
How do I really feel… probably just about the same as everyone else.
4 Aug 2010, 20:29 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-402: I’m currently playing rainbow six. COD rocks though. I play that when my mates and I take over his Internet Cafe for the evening for some LAN. Good fun but we can only do it occasionally. Not good for the domestic bliss to do it too often, which in turn negatively affects me and in turn conflicts with my epicurian tendancies…….
FPS’ers all the way. COD, MOH, and RB6. Don’t have time for strategy. Want to just plug in and go…..
Speaking of, see ya’ll….
@cab(cab)-406: I would most certainly step in fron of a truck to protect my own. I’d feel terrible if I didn’t…..
4 Aug 2010, 20:31 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-411: cheers… RB6 Las Vegas is good…
4 Aug 2010, 20:31 pm
409 goodthing, yip that is a very interesting moral point, but I presume that you are then a total pacifist and dint believe any war or fight to be deserved, cos if there was one fight that was deserved it was that one
4 Aug 2010, 20:33 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-409: “There are exceptions to the rule, but in general people generally live down to my lowest expectations, until they do something even more stupid” – why does a certain Van Zyl and Dolf show come to mind…
4 Aug 2010, 20:38 pm
@cab(cab)-413: Last post, will sum it up:
You are right, I am a pacifist, I don’t believe in war or corporal punishment or any of that stuff.
The reason is: I believe that I am right about all things and have the answers. If I were to run a place I’d totally take out the ‘wrong and the useless’. Of course, that would be my judgement of wrong and useless.
So, in order to feel better, I’d rather suggest no war is a good war and none are worth fighting. Are there some people that don’t deserve the life they have for the misery they have inflicted on others: sure but who am I to judge?
Dualism of life buddy, nothing is simple.
I do believe we are all responsible for our own happiness and the only thing that really irritates me are people that don’t. The blame others, the government, the state, their peers, their colour, creed, addictions, relationships, parents, sisters wives and husbands for the life they have. It is there creation. If I have no tolerance it is for people who are not responsible for their own lives. I feel zero attachment or moral obligation to them at all.
4 Aug 2010, 20:52 pm
Well let’s see how much of a pacifist you are when someone wants to enslave and exterminate you and yours cis of your tanned skin or ethnicity.
Very few like that, I respect them but I could not do that
4 Aug 2010, 20:59 pm
@cab(cab)-416: Read: dualist: I’d take the b;stards down as quick as look at them.
4 Aug 2010, 21:04 pm
Lol sounds like what you call duality is better called hypocracy.
4 Aug 2010, 21:13 pm
Everything, bar one or two, from 346 forwards to this point are the musings of the apologists of the most delusional social evil of their time bar none. They just took until they could no more.
Typical weaklings all who while away their time with sterile excuses for their undeserved seeming contentment and apparent happiness.
4 Aug 2010, 21:18 pm
@ET(ET)-419: Apartheid wasn’t my fault, I was too young ET
In 20 years you won’t find anyone who admits to having voted ANC either.
The 3rd Revolution will sort it out.
4 Aug 2010, 21:18 pm
I think there very few apologists, most don’t believe they did anything wrong and the few that do have not apologised for anything. In fact, they prefer not to speak about it.
4 Aug 2010, 21:19 pm
@cab(cab)-418: Like I said man, who knows what I think. This is a rugby blog, I don’t really care.
Have a good one.
Boks not to lose again this weekend. Yeah!
4 Aug 2010, 21:20 pm
418, lol, cheers, yeah let’s hope they win.
4 Aug 2010, 21:23 pm
@cab(cab)-421: How far back must people apologise anyway? Not seeing the ANC apologising to the San either.
All us folk, black and white should then leave this land and move north again, leaving it all to them. Or is that to inconvenient for most.
4 Aug 2010, 21:32 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-420:
I guess you would like me to believe that your parents and those before them and thus you through them nver ever benefited from that social evil in many ways. Then explain how the gold all became owned by the Oppenheimer’s or the coal by those that owned those mines or any other resource of the country for that matter, none of which now evn belongs to the country any more.
I would sooner believe Eugene De Kock(Vlakplaas)then when he claims; ” I was one of the few policemen, perhaps the only, who wasn’t a racist”
Chew on that.
4 Aug 2010, 21:32 pm
424, just my observation, Ive never seen apologies, ppl just look to justify it, most of them just seem to complain and so any govt criticism is merely donned off as racist, and it probably is 90% of the time
4 Aug 2010, 21:36 pm
Wow, it’s so nice to be young and arrogant enough to believe that you actually understand life to the extent that you can lecture others. Professional cynicism is a veneer that covers Wildes definition of being “a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing”.
4 Aug 2010, 21:39 pm
@cab(cab)-421:
Does not at all solve the imperious messy problem that their christianity or any religion for that matter created. They all just wash or wring their hands while they still control the economy and continue taking.
It will all come to a shocking end sometime with a sorry tale to tell for those concerned and affected.
4 Aug 2010, 21:43 pm
@David(David)-427:
Who is this post addressed to?
4 Aug 2010, 21:48 pm
@ET(ET)-428:
Wise up. The Barney Barnatos and Oppenheimers did no more than identify and exploit an opportunity. The same as the present crop of black businessmen. The difference being that they actually created something. The fact that the way they did it was based on the exploitation of black labour and horrific conditions isn’t that relevent, as the present crop are more than happy to enrich themselves from their predecessors. Blood diamonds are still blood diamonds.
4 Aug 2010, 21:49 pm
@ET(ET)-429:
HG and GYGT.
4 Aug 2010, 21:50 pm
Lol what’s their Christianity got to do with it?
I’m all for a happy clappy bashing when they force it on others, but I don’t understand what that has to do with anything.
4 Aug 2010, 21:56 pm
An excellent point by David at 430, which IMO is what liberalism means.
4 Aug 2010, 22:02 pm
@David(David)-430:
Well firstly young is relative and arrogant I can afford because I played zero role in that social evil whatever so my conscience is clear.
And where do I absolve Blacks in general and the ANC specifically. So stop beating that false sounding drum as all exploiters are despicable humans(some countries thrived on this and delude their poor people in the process). Their is nothing for the British to be proud of in their colonies, mostly.
The problem clearly lies in the word exploit and do you absolve that( that which is not yours does not belong to you)? And what something did they create when it is beyond the reach of 90% of the population as is reflected by the overwhelming poverty of the majority.
4 Aug 2010, 22:04 pm
@cab(cab)-433:
Thanks Cab. I consider myself a true liberal, in the political sense. Not a white liberal.
4 Aug 2010, 22:05 pm
I must say I’m all for liberal government but I don’t personally believe in a system of unfettered capitalism in which either the barnatos or their black counterparts can get so rich while there is so much poverty. I font have much time for that, but it seems govt planning or big govt often leads to an accumulation of power and then corruption and eventually totalitarianism control. It’s a damn wierd world.
4 Aug 2010, 22:12 pm
ET agree to a large extent about imperialism, but on the other hand they brought alot of technology and infraatructure to SA. It remains a far wealthier country than the rest of Africa. Are you saying that a rural chiefdom lifestyle is preferable? No problem with that other than you being a western educated doctor in the US?
4 Aug 2010, 22:12 pm
@David(David)-431:
I thought #430 was your answer to me and I responded with #434 in response to #430 hence my reference to young is relative. But 434 is factual and thus relevant also to the now discussion.
BTW you were wrong yesterday or before about hindsight(Monday quaterbacking here) and JS, as I certainly called it against JS in 2008 already just before or after the TN(2008) squad was released. In fact I coined the term “2007 WC Champion Seniors” and named them as Smit, Matfield, FdP, Juan Smith, Bakkies, James, Monty, Burger and more. That is clearly foresight and not at all hindsight.
4 Aug 2010, 22:16 pm
@ET(ET)-434:
First, I wasn’t directing that post at you, and second I didn’t mention the ANC or black people generally. As for exploitation, I believe that exploitation of a resource that others have ignored or are unaware of is fair game. Exploitation of people isn’t. Colonialism is a popular target, and rightly so, but Africa ignores it’s own form of colonisation in the form of tribal expansionism and subjucation.
4 Aug 2010, 22:19 pm
@ET(ET)-438:
I thought I directed that “hindsight” remark to Grant10.
4 Aug 2010, 22:20 pm
Oh, a bit of Brit bashing going on….perhaps not a good time!!
@David(David)-439:
4 Aug 2010, 22:21 pm
@David(David)-427: My answer to that is lol
4 Aug 2010, 22:22 pm
I am getting this picture of ET charging accross the bushveld with an assegaai in one hand and his stethoscope in the other.
4 Aug 2010, 22:23 pm
@David(David)-439: And how do you “exploit” a resource, “wise” one?
4 Aug 2010, 22:23 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-442:
Who cares.
4 Aug 2010, 22:26 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-444:
Oh, put a sock in it.
4 Aug 2010, 22:27 pm
@cab(cab)-437:
False thinking that if you are saying we now have to give up all our natural resources forever.
Besides all that technology and infrastucture were built for the benefit of the managers(lords,ladies earls,governors) because of their inherent laziness and pomp and brattishness.
The technology and infrastructure they brought even today is beyond the benefit of the majority of the poor as witnessed by the very many who could not afford to attend the FWC at those marvelous stadiums.
BTW I have said before the Liberals are not my enemy but may confuse simple social issues that need to be dealt with honestly for the benefit of al (eg. like one effing tablet to be given to a mother about to give birth as this will reduce by up to 70% the possibility of the baby being HIV positive).
4 Aug 2010, 22:27 pm
@cab(cab)-443:
Dr Mzilikazi, I presume?
4 Aug 2010, 22:28 pm
Chief Drinksalot from the Zulu village iKissToomany just outside Durban.
4 Aug 2010, 22:29 pm
@David(David)-440:
Yes that is true it was directed at G10 but you wrote “no one ” had the foresight. Small matter.
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