The Springbok selectors have been instructed by the South African Rugby Union not to select Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira – or any other non-South African passport holder – for the national team, following communication from the department of Sport and Recreation.
SARU received a letter on Friday from deputy sports minister, Gert Oosthuizen, reaffirming the government’s position that no foreign player can be selected to represent a national team. The Zimbabwean-born Mtawarira has played 22 test matches for the Springboks since his debut in 2008. He is legally resident and employed in South Africa and was selected to play for the Springboks having fulfilled the eligibility criteria of the International Rugby Board.
“We have had extensive and robust conversations with government on this issue,” said Oregan Hoskins, president of SARU.
“But we respect the authority of the Ministry and have instructed our selectors in that regard.”
Hoskins added Mtawarira wished to become a South African citizen as soon as possible and SARU had been assisting him in fulfilling the necessary criteria.
The South African Rugby Union will be making no further comment on the matter.
Then we complain about Premier League.
“Hoskins added Mtawarira wished to become a South African citizen as soon as possible and SARU had been assisting him in fulfilling the necessary criteria”
I thought he was a SA citizen by now. Well then the Government have a case i think.
Another waste of taxpayers’ money. Have knobs in ministry nothing better to do?
Said ministry must then insist that Bongani Khumalo is withdrawn from bafana squad until his eligibility can be reviewed. He was born in Swaziland.
nie n verlies nie cj het heel goed gelyk wallis is nie swak in die scrums nie rev was die grootste fucktor met scrums
Load of nonsense this. Beast has lived here for 5 years his family live in Durban. His brother is also with the Sharks. They have bought a house in Durban pay their taxes and are good people. If he played in any other country by now he would have citizenship. Something does not sound right to me. They keeping Beast out it looks to me.
@ Pam Anderson:PamA. Aree with you there.
@ Puma:
6 – hehehehehe. I never put that smiley up there. How did that appear? hahahahaha.
Pam Anderson. Not sure how that came up. Sorry.
@ Puma:
No worries ( . )( . )
Problem is that some Politicians just have too much free time on their hands and do this to get publicity.. Unfortunately Beast is caught in the middle. The guy has played 20 odd test matches for fark sakes..
@ Winston:
That is not right , why allow him 20+ games and then cry. When he was fist chosen i asked if this would please the politicians, having him Mujati and Chavanga in the Bok team, but hell now 3 years on, it surely is someone trying politics again.
Then again why is he not a SA citizen? He had enough time.
Can someone verify Dick Muir’s nationality? I have plan to save some lions and springboks!
If Beast doesn’t have a South African passport he does not qualify as a South Afrcan.
Oi, I hope they sort Beast’s stuf out quickly….. damn they’re stuffing him around now…
Users Online
Total 144 users including 0 member, 144 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 41,794,147 Page Impressions
_