Beast's Bok career finished?

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SmartKit

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Johannesburg - The Springbok selectors have been instructed by SARU 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 Tests 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 that 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.
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Source: www.news24.com

Does anyone know where I can go to tell the Sports Ministry to "go f**k themselves"?

Why the hell do we need a ministry anyway? Useless b*****ds wasting our money and causing chaos in sport which is something we love and should in no way be related to politics.

First it's because you're not black enough (so all the white players bolt to Aus, France and Ireland). Now it's because you're black but not South African enough (so no foreign black players). We're World Cup champions FFS, leave the team the hell alone they're obviously doing a fantastic job and the nation is behind them!

If you want to interfere do so at grassroots level, encourage black players to play rugby instead of football. Let them get their on merit and give them pride.

And finally, what the hell right does the Sports Ministry have to interfere in job appointments? Isn't that what Home Affairs is for? Apparently xenophobia is rife within the government so how, in that case, can they convince other South Africans to stop treating Zimbabweans as second-class citizens or non entities?

/end rant
 
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let me get this straight - the ministry is saying it only wants south african citizens playing for the south african national rugby team? well blow me over.

i would go so far as to say i would want the IRB to have the same rule.

edit: and given that he fulfills the criteria for citizenship, he will be allowed to play then; so cool down with the drama queen stuff.
 
Milo while i agree with you WTF was he allowed to play in the first place?

Why does it take them 22 matches to realize this?
 
Ministry are a complete mystery. So it's all right for SA born players to play for other national sides but we are not allowed to follow suite. F*sking politics.
 
Ronjay said:
Ministry are a complete mystery. So it's all right for SA born players to play for other national sides but we are not allowed to follow suite. F*sking politics.
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As far as i know those players are citizens of the country? Surely citizenship is not given over night. I know in england you have to live there 5 years.
 
killadoob said:
As far as i know those players are citizens of the country? Surely citizenship is not given over night. I know in england you have to live there 5 years.
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Yeah but Beast should qualify to be a citizen. Remember Rathbone, one year he's winning the Babyboks a WC and the next thing he's an Australian.
 
Hmmm but qualifying to be one and actually being one are 2 very different things.

I would qualify to be an English citizen after 5 years but surely i must go through the process of becoming one before i am?
 
It's the right decision really. The ones who should be blamed are SARU and Beast's management for not sorting this out ages ago.
 
killadoob said:
Hmmm but qualifying to be one and actually being one are 2 very different things.

I would qualify to be an English citizen after 5 years but surely i must go through the process of becoming one before i am?
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How long has Beast been living in SA? How long has he been working here? Come on, have you heard his accent when he speaks? He's practically a SA'n.
 
killa - i agree with you that he should have never played in the first place until this was sorted.

in principle i believe to play for an international team, you must be a citizen of that country; and not merely be eligible to become one.
 
Ronjay said:
How long has Beast been living in SA? How long has he been working here? Come on, have you heard his accent when he speaks? He's practically a SA'n.
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to play for SA you should surely be a SA'n; not practically one. Commit yourself to the country.
 
Ok, obviously I don't know if he has, but if he hasn't then he's a fool, a good player, but a fool. Who want's to work and live in a country for so long and play for a national side if you are not wanting to be a citizen. Obviously playing for a national side en-furs a certain level of patriotism towards said nation?
 
Ronjay said:
Ok, obviously I don't know if he has, but if he hasn't then he's a fool, a good player, but a fool. Who want's to work and live in a country for so long and play for a national side if you are not wanting to be a citizen. Obviously playing for a national side en-furs a certain level of patriotism towards said nation?
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lots of people work in foreign countries for ages without ever thinking of becoming citizens of that country. take the EPL and see Almunia and Arteta.
 
milomak said:
lots of people work in foreign countries for ages without ever thinking of becoming citizens of that country. take the EPL and see Almunia and Arteta.
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Yeah but not many of them wanted to play for said national teams.
 
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