Springbok winger Akona Ndungane wants the display of the old South African flag — seen as a symbol of the apartheid regime — banned at all rugby games.
”I definitely think those [old] flags should be banned,” he told the RugbyFanz website. ”It would be a step forward.”
A number of the old white, blue and orange flag have been seen at some Springbok matches and were on sale at South Africa’s recent game against Wales at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff in late November.
Some local fans, said Ndungane, still lived in the past. ”The national anthem is no longer just Die Stem, it is a combination of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and Die Stem,” he was quoted as saying.
”We need to look at the future.”
Ndungane said he believed that South African players who move to Europe to ply their trade should not be barred from playing for the national team. After barring players who moved abroad from pulling on the green and gold jersey, the South African Rugby Union suspended its decision in early November.
”Look what they did at the World Cup,” said Ndungane, referring to the more experienced players, some of whom have moved to the United Kingdom and France, like captain John Smit, fullback Percy Montgomery and flyhalf Butch James. – Sapa