Lubabalo “Tera” Mtembu
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has commended the Sharks rugby team for their appointment on Tuesday of Lubabalo Mtembu as the team’s first black captain.
“The decision to appoint Mtembu is a clear sign that the Sharks rugby team is serious about the transformation of the sport which has been one of the thorny issues since the advent our democratic dispensation in 1994,” African National Congress provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala said in a statement.
Sport24
“It is an irrefutable truth that despite government’s unyielding attempts to transform the sport in South Africa in the past 20 years, we are still struggling with a skewed and unequal sporting landscape.”
The 23-year-old, better known as Tera, will lead the side during the defence of their Currie Cup crown.
The loose forward came through the Sharks Academy ranks, before making his Super Rugby and Currie Cup debuts in 2012.
Mtembu’s impressive leadership qualities led to Sharks director of rugby Jake White handing him the captaincy duties often during this year’s Vodacom Cup.
Mtembu said he looked forward to the challenge ahead of him.
“It is a great honour and privilege to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading a world-renowned team such as the Sharks,” Mtembu said.”
“I thank our CEO (John Smit), director of rugby, and the rest of our coaching staff for believing in me and for affording me this opportunity.”
“I know that I will have the support and backing of our coaching staff, younger players, and the senior group of players in our squad.”
“As a team we will work together to ensure that we reach the goals we set out for ourselves in this year’s competition.”
Zikalala said the decision to appoint Mtembu inspired the hope that “one day South Africa will have a completely transformed sport that make every South African proud”.
“We congratulate Mtembu and wish him all the best in this critical task and we urge his team mates to give him all the support he requires,” Zikalala said.
“The ANC also commends and applauds the Sharks management for the bold step they have taken and we urge other teams to follow suit.”
They don’t get it, or do they?
This man was chosen because he is the best candidate for the job, not because of his skin colour…or am I missing something here?
@ Pietman:
You are right Pietman, but there’s this one part of me that can’t help thinking….Jake only does what is good for Jake.
And if his goal is to be Bok coach again, he needs to score political brownie points, and he has hit the jackpot here.
Remember when he made the Mvovo move, likening him as the next Percy? Who was he really trying to impress?
This nonsense of first black to be this and first black to be that, it only puts undue pressure on the incumbent.
I remember Peter de Villiers’ inauguration speech at his appointment as vividly as yesterday..
” I am proud to be the first black Springbok rugby coach…”.
A lot of good it did him….like it did our first black woman athlete to win a gold medal at the world championships.
Appointment or selection on merit, as
In Tera’s case, is the only way to lasting success in the long run…but the politicians always want to cash in short term by branding such achievement as a successful policy of sorts, in this case ‘transformation’ (whatever that means).
For example, how did the late Baby Jake ‘s world boxing championship title have any bearing on the ‘transformation’ policy of government? None whatsoever!
Not fair on the real achievers, to stick political labels on them.
@ nortierd:
@2 You spoke my mind!
But I didn’t want to be as bold as to be the first one here to start a “Jake political a$se kissing ‘breaking news item on RT!
Aaaand this is exactly the problem with having politics involved with the sport.
By default, Tera will be assigned the ‘quota’ tag when in actual fact he is there on total merit and has been primed for some sort of leadership role since his days at the academy.
He is a great player and time will tell if he makes a good captain.
@ nortierd:
Look that sort of conspiracy theory nonsense only makes sense down in the Cape.
Rather concentrate on bashing AC and working out how the Stormers are going to make it to the top half of the table next year.
@ John Galt:
True he deserves a shot to prove himself… there is no one else deserving of the sharks captaincy anyway.
@ John Galt:
Do you deny that Jake only does what is good for Jake?
If not, wouldn’t he still be happily coaching in Canberra?
Making Tera captain is fine for the Sharks, he is about the only loose forward left and assured of his starting spot, Alberts and Coetzee will be on Bok duty, Kanko and Keegan Cullen is gone, so a fair call.
The fact remains, one can’t help looking for ulterior motives the moment Jake says or does something, and that must be put down to his own doing.
@ nortierd:
It doesn’t benefit Jake at all because hes not the coach anymore, he wont be given any credit for this and I reckon the decision was made by the board more than Jake.
You will not see Jake once this CC season. Hes given the reigns entirely to the staff that won it last year, Macleod Henderson etc. and will be concentrating on the age group level teams.
Look at all the photos of the announcement, they all feature Smit.
No credit has been given to Jake.
@ John Galt:
Jake is Director of rugby
@ MacroBull:
I know that but with him not in the limelight, he wont get the credit.
Anyway now im getting sucked into the whole conspiracy theory behind it.
This was a good decision, the captaincy was given to a worthy individual. That’s all there is to it.
@ John Galt:
Conspiracy theories are fun 😉
On another note, what was your thoughts on the Sharks and their Super Rugby campaign?
@ John Galt:
IF halfway through the season the sharks are doing well without their springboks… jake will worm his way into the sharks currie cup coaching staff.
Will be interesting to see what the sharks do next year. Jake already made a massive error this year making bissie captain and leaving Keegan out to dry.
@ nortierd:
I think Jake did a lot of things right but he always played a far too defensive game for my liking. And were quite rightly shown to be waaay behind the curve in comparison to Aus and NZ teams.
Reminded me a little of the Stormers from last season in all honesty. They kept playing this ‘finals rugby’ everyone kept talking about.
Too much kicking, not enough ball in hand rugby with an emphasis on building phases etc. And it showed in the try scoring stats, we had 2 bonus points for scoring 4 tries or more I think.
I cant actually remember a try scored from building phases and keeping the ball in hand. I can, however, remember loads of tries scored from capitalising on the opposition mistakes. Reinach scored 3 or 4 tries in this way.
Not the type of rugby I enjoy to be honest.
When brendan venter was doing well at the sharks last year. Jake came out of nowhere to look over his shoulder lol
Terra is a good player. Period.
Good luck to the man.
@ John Galt:
@5
Right.
We wouldn’t even have this thread on RT if it weren’t for this ANCKZNPS whathisname’s statement.
@ Pietman:
And that’s just the provincial secretary speaking…wait until the SECRETARY GENERAL has his/her say.
@ nortierd:
2
“And if his goal is to be Bok coach again, he needs to score political brownie points, and he has hit the jackpot here.”
Nortj’e, that thinking sound familiar to me ?
😉
Let me remind you; last week after the Sharks’ defeat I said just that: ‘JW scarified the Sharks Semi to score points with SARU by unveiling the quota adhering ‘New JW’ 😉
my rationale was that after a possible 0:6 vs the ABs, HM will be sacked in favour of the man who won once the RWC !
Give originator his due!
😆 😆 😆
Hondo’s rationale ?
WTF?
Just worry about getting your mielies in straight lines and leave the conspiracy theories to Norty.
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