Charles LeonardRugby
There’s a coach in Cape Town who’s almost as stupid as the guy at Decca Records in London who in 1962 didn’t sign the Beatles because he didn’t see much of a future for them.
This Western Province coach, responsible for the under-21 squad, told former South African Schools captain Gcobani “Bobs” Bobo when he switched from flank to centre that he didn’t see a place for him in his future plans. Also that Bobo, as a Rasta, should “go to his brothers in the bush”.
He didn’t exactly go to the “bush”, but up north. This season he joined his friend and fellow Rasta Gcobani Siwundla in the Golden Lions under-21 squad in Johannesburg, under far-sighted coach Eugene “Loffie”Eloff.
Siwundla and Bobo completed their schooling at Rondebosch Boys High. Bobo captained the Western Province schools side and led the national schools team.
Siwundla’s first coach when he was an under-nine was a Mrs McNaughton at Western Province Prep School in Cape Town. “All the guys from my junior school who are still playing now started under her,” says Siwundla.
Encouraged by his father, who played flank at Fort Hare in his day, he became a star at full-back at Dale College, going to France with the South Africa under-17s with Bobo and their current Lions team-mate Lawrence Sephaka. They won the tournament.
Siwundla was the first to head to the Lions. He was also in the Western Province under-21 squad, but didn’t play one match last year. “I heard Loffie was looking for a wing and I can play in that position too. We spoke and the next day I was on the plane to Jo’burg.”
Bobo was put in contact with Eloff by former Springbok technical adviser Jake White, who was part of the successful management team that saw the “Baby Boks” to victory in the under-21 World Cup last month.
It has been a fantastic season for the young Lions, who play Natal in the under-21 final on Saturday. Under Eloff, Siwundla has scored seven tries and the other wing eight.
Attacking rugby is the name of the game. “I don’t like stump-car rugby, I like open running rugby,” says Eloff. “As someone said, why, if you have a door in a house, try to run through the wall.”
The quota system has already been enforced at under-21 level. “I don’t need that,” says Eloff. “I sommer play four black players, on merit. This includes the first Indian guy to get provincial colours, Anban Govender.”
Eloff is one of those people who make you feel good about being a South African because he is so positive about our new society. “Next year there will be five or six black players in my team on merit. I’m already working on the under-20s. It gives me moerse satisfaction. I see with a little love, attention and coaching how some of the black players can excel. They’re absolutely dedicated. I don’t want to make a colour issue out of this, but the white boys sometimes have it too easy.”
Race has never been an issue in the team. “I’ve never seen any signs,” says the coach. “If anyone shows any sign, I’ll throw him out of the team immediately, even if he’s the best. We’re like a family.”
Bobo had one experience of racism when he played in Argentina for the South African under-19s. “The Welsh captain called me a kaffir. I couldn’t believe it – I wonder if he knew what he was saying.”
The two Rastas feel accepted in Johannesburg after a conservative Cape Town. “Not only are you black [in Cape Town], but you’re different from other blacks,” Bobo says. “Cape Town has never had any rugby-playing Rastas before.”
So will we see Bobo and Siwundla fulfil their dreams to wear the green and gold one day? “I’m not saying will, but can, if injuries don’t interfere,” says Eloff. One thing he’s sure about is the composition of the Springbok team in five years’ time. “Fifty per cent white and 50% black – as sure as I’m sitting here.”