A Saru report has recommended consequences for the world champion Springboks, among other teams, who did not select sufficient “generic black” players in 2023.

According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, a “comprehensive” 206-page audit compiled by Saru and sent to South Africa’s rugby unions stated that the Springboks fell short of their targets last year.

The audit is part of Saru’s Strategic Transformation Development Plan for 2030, with government setting a target for national sports bodies to field teams that consist of 60% black and coloured players by 2030.

In 2023, the Springboks transformation targets were 54% for “generic black players” – which includes black and coloured players – of whom 27% had to be “ethnically black players”.

However, in the Rugby Championship, the Bok team consisted of 39% “generically black” players, of whom 13% were ethnic black players. During the successful World Cup title defence in France, the Boks used 38% “generically black” players – 16% of whom were ethnic black players.

The Springboks are not the only team to fall short of the transformation targets, with Saru also reportedly concerned about the national youth teams – namely SA U18, SA U18 Sevens, SA Schools and SA Schools A.

Provincially, the Bulls and Lions have also come under fire for their transformation record in 2023.

According to the audit, the Bulls’ team was 31% generically black in the Champions Cup and 28% in the URC – the lowest of the four big franchises – while the Lions were 32% in the EPCR Challenge Cup and 33% in the URC.

Meanwhile, the Stormers and Sharks lead the way for transformation targets among the big four. The Sharks fielded 55% generically black players in the 2022-23 Champions Cup – the most among the South African teams – while the Stormers were close behind with 54%.

In the URC, the Stormers were South Africa’s leaders with 49% black and coloured players, while the Sharks’ team was 44%.

Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

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