arbitrary constant

The rugby world cup was an excellent spectacle, and although I was obviously disappointed that England didn't beat South Africa in the final, it was right that the best team of the tournament won the match and thus the Webb Ellis trophy.

I was slightly less magnanimous over the Boks' plans, however, to guarantee a side which represented the ethnic background of South Africa. To do this, it was proposed that there be a quota of black players that the South African rugby team should field every time it plays a match, irrespective of the ability of the players who might not play as a result of this approach.

Such a proposal would have equated to positive discrimination, and would have been misguided, wrong-headed and stupid. I was pleased to read over the weekend, then, that Thabo Mbeki realised this policy was all of the above, and instead is looking to increase the number of black children playing rugby at grassroots level. This sensible proposal falls under the auspices of positive action, and is entirely a more sensible, reasonable and probably successful way of ensuring more black South African players represent their country at the highest level.

Filed in Sport