South Africa's attempt to regain the William Webb Ellis Cup has been hit with fresh controversy after an extraordinary bid was launched attempting to stop them playing in the Rugby World Cup.
The bid comes from a South African political party Agency for New Agenda (ANA), and it centres on the lack of transformation in the Springbok squad that they feel doesn't represent the population of South Africa.
South Africa is a country where 90% of the population is designated as 'non-white', but the Rugby World Cup squad for next month's global showpiece features just eight players of non-white ethnicity from a total of 31.
The party has written to the World Rugby board requesting that the Springboks be suspended, and the South African court hearing will take place next Wednesday, the second of September.
Springbok head coach has been under a lot of pressure after three straight losses in the Rugby Championship, with the number of non-whites in his team a big focus.
The ANA statement reads:
It is common knowledge that some citizens … resist such transformation and continue to practice activities‚ acts and conduct that are premised on unfair discrimination based on a number of criteria‚ including race.
However‚ it is regrettable that such remnants and vestiges of racism‚ racial discrimination and racial exclusion and resistance to transformation still exist‚ and determine‚ to a very large extent‚ the fate of the majority of the country’s black population.
They also confirmed that they requested the suspension of South Africa to World Rugby saying:
We call upon you to suspend‚ with immediate effect‚ the membership of South Africa from your organisation and to bar the participation of South Africa from the World Rugby World Cup 2015.
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Picture credit; Paul Thomas / SPORTSFILE
