By: Menelisi Ndwandwe

The 2015 IRB Rugby World Cup (RWC) is around the corner but the Springboks are facing potholes and speed harms in their journey to England.

Even equating the Pound Sterling with  the Rand is really worrying to those who understand the markets. Boks have won one of their five test matches, a form that is not ideal for

Heyneke Meyer’s boys.

The qualification process for rugby world cup started in the previous edition, the RWC 2011, 12 teams received an automatic qualification berth by finishing in the top three of their
respective pools.

Boks topped the pool in the previous edition which granted them the qualification.

A further eighth position for the tournament is decided by the play-offs in the regions.

John Peters, a rugby supporter, teased about the springbok’s poor form and said, “If the system of qualification was structured differently surely, Bokkies were going to watch the
world cup on a pay-channel.”

Not only is the form that is the problem in the Springboks camp, there is also the issue of injuries to senior players. The likes of  captain Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preeez, Frans Steyn
and Willem Alberts are battling with injuries.

Every manager wants to have the best squad going to a prestigious tournament like the world cup. Fans and general public have been condemning the selection criteria.  It is wide spread

that the ‘black’ players are not considered in the line-up of Meyer.

Two weeks ago it was reported that five black players wrote to Cosatu, the federal union

concerning the selection system by the coach.

Prior the Boks friendly against Argentina, Coach Meyer included more black players. Victor

Dlamini, a writer, twitted that “If it were up Heyneke Meyer, there would be no black players

in the springboks team. His contempt for them is obvious and unbearable.”

Sbu Mjilekiso, a sports writer, defended Meyer’s selection through his tweet.

“Nobody wants a Bok team filled with only blacks any more than they want a Bok  team with

whites. You all are missing the point,” he said

Springboks have been champions in two of the last five editions, winning it in 1995 at home

and in 2007 in France.

In RWC 2015 they are placed in Pool B, their opening encounter is on the 19th of September

against Japan at Brighton Community Centre, Brighton. In other pool clashes Boks will face

Samoa, Scotland and United States of America.

The tournament is schedule for 18th September to 31st October 2015.

Not only are the Boks the hope of South Africans, but Africa as a whole is hoping that the

continent will be represented with pride, determination, excellence and passion.