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Racism brings Springboks together
Durban, Sept 11: The Springboks rugby team say allegations of racism in the sport has drawn their team together.
Durban, Sept 11: The Springboks rugby team say allegations of racism in the sport has drawn their team together.
The race row that rocked South African rugby has drawn together the Springboks for their crunch World Cup game against England, captain Corne Krige said on Tuesday (September 9).
"One of two things can happen, the squad can either fall apart or the squad can get closer together and become a close knit family and that's exactly what's happened," Krige told reporters.
South Africa meet England, one of the World Cup favourites, in Perth on October 18 in a match that is likely to determine both sides' paths through the latter stages of the tournament.
The race controversy erupted last month after South Africa lock forward Geo Cronje was expelled from a training camp for allegedly refusing to share a room with black team mate Quinton Davids.
Cronje was cleared of wrongdoing by the South African Rugby Football Union but allegations of other incidents of bigotry in the Springbok squad have led to an independent investigation headed by retired judge Edwin King.
Krige said he had tried to keep his players focused on the tournament and not become too distracted by the controversy.
"The guys understand that there's one real important thing coming up and that's the World Cup. Everything that's happening now, all the side shows - the King commission - all that other stuff is important but the most important thing is the World Cup," he said.
Krige said the South Africans were well aware of England's impressive World Cup build-up, during which Clive Woodward's team beat tournament favourites New Zealand and Australia on home soil before crushing France at Twickenham on Saturday.
One of the Springbok players, Breyton Paulse, said they were going to leave it to the management to deal with such issues. In Cape Town the South African minister for Sport and Recreation Ngconde Balfor said South Africa must be represented at the World Cup tournament but the truth of any allegations of racism or bigotry within the sport or the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) must be disclosed.
"There must be absolutely no cover up with regard to the allegations made. And the responsibility will remain with SARFU to ensure that the truth comes to the fore. If there are to be casualties as a result of this, so be it," he said.
Bureau Report
Cronje was cleared of wrongdoing by the South African Rugby Football Union but allegations of other incidents of bigotry in the Springbok squad have led to an independent investigation headed by retired judge Edwin King.
Krige said he had tried to keep his players focused on the tournament and not become too distracted by the controversy.
"The guys understand that there's one real important thing coming up and that's the World Cup. Everything that's happening now, all the side shows - the King commission - all that other stuff is important but the most important thing is the World Cup," he said.
Krige said the South Africans were well aware of England's impressive World Cup build-up, during which Clive Woodward's team beat tournament favourites New Zealand and Australia on home soil before crushing France at Twickenham on Saturday.
One of the Springbok players, Breyton Paulse, said they were going to leave it to the management to deal with such issues. In Cape Town the South African minister for Sport and Recreation Ngconde Balfor said South Africa must be represented at the World Cup tournament but the truth of any allegations of racism or bigotry within the sport or the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) must be disclosed.
"There must be absolutely no cover up with regard to the allegations made. And the responsibility will remain with SARFU to ensure that the truth comes to the fore. If there are to be casualties as a result of this, so be it," he said.
Bureau Report