South Africa’s first white quota player and captain elect Luke Watson, has made some startling comments this week.
“Me having to wear the Springbok jersey, to keep myself from vomiting on it, because there is a bigger picture, because men and women have bled for me to get there.
“Did I ever want to be there? No, it’s never been my dream, but I chose this burden with the greatest of pride and satisfaction, knowing that my father Cheeky Watson laid down his life to get me there.
“the problem with SA rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen”, whilst Watson also suggested that SA rugby is “rotten to the core” and that “the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am”.
He concludes his speech in the third person, a great way to get any point across
“I’m not throwing some political twist to this transformation, I’m not saying transformation of South African rugby. I’m not saying transformation of the man next to me, on my left or on my right.“I’m saying transformation of Luke Watson. Because, when I’ve transformed, when I’ve pushed on, when I’m alive, when I’m reaching for my destiny, the man next to me he will automatically get upset. The man next to me automatically gets uncomfortable.
“He looks at me and says: ‘There is something different about this man, there is something different about Luke Watson. He can’t be bought – I can’t throw the Springbok jersey at him and expect him to beg for it, to be on his knees, because it is not going to happen’.
SARU has called an urgent meeting on Monday to determine the accuracy of the reports with Western Province, the player’s contracting union, and UCT, where the statements were said to have been made.
Watson’s father Cheeky was an outspoken anti-racism activist during the apartheid era who declined the opportunity to participate in Springbok trials as a promising player because of his convictions and has made no secret of his displeasure with the game’s current administration. Now it would appear that Luke is following his fathers beliefs, and putting his position as Stormers captain in jepoardy in the process.
The civil rights initiative AfriForum has since sent Watson a letter and intends to have him summoned to the Equality Court on charges of hate speech if he refuses to withdraw his comments.