The same few private schools that used to churn out Springboks during white rule still dominate the scene. 'But if you want the best to play for your country, there must be a mass participation in the sport, and this is yet to happen.'įor those like Motaung who are born in a township, the path to sporting success is uphill. 'If you look at the Springboks team you will see the strides that they've made, the mind shift,' De Villiers told AFP. 'It was inspiring to watch because I thought I can also make it,' said Tembisa Stallions captain Amohelang Motaung, 21.īut scratching under the surface reveals a different story, says Peter de Villiers, who in 2008 became the first black man to coach the Springboks. The 2019 green and gold squad captained by Kolisi was seen as a turning point, with six black players in the starting 15.Ī national tour to show off the trophy started in Soweto, the heartland of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle, where the Springboks were once hated. The 1995 World Cup-winning side, famously celebrated by Nelson Mandela, was white except for one winger and only two black players were in the 2007 team that became world champions. Mind shiftįor 90 years Springbok selectors chose only white players, with black and mixed-race athletes sequestered in separate leagues with no international participation.Įven after the end of apartheid progress has been painfully slow.

'Rugby has manipulated its image to brainwash black South Africans into supporting the very system that they are excluded from,' said Mark Fredericks, a sports activist and academic. Yet, despite the hype surrounding Kolisi, analysts say the legacy of South Africa's long history of racial segregation is still holding back progress towards equal representation in the sport. 'A lot of people are very interested in rugby now.' 'We have a lot of new players coming in week in and week out,' said Siyabonga Mogale, a 21-year-old with short dreadlocks and quick feet who plays as fullback for the local team, the Tembisa Stallions. Tembisa, where crime is rife, unemployment is high and some families live in makeshift homes made of corrugated iron, is no exception.

Once seen as a symbol of white rule, the Springboks, who will defend their world title in France in September, enjoy a growing popularity.

Townships rising south africa