SA Super 12 squads to have greater black representation

CAPE TOWN - South Africa Rugby announced today that each of its four Super 12 rugby squads of 30 would contain a minimum of eight black players in 2005.

A statement from SA Rugby said that the decision had been taken at a meeting of the four coaches, national coach Jake White and deputy president Andre Markgraaff at a meeting in Johannesburg earlier this month.

SA Rugby announced provisional squads for the Cats, Bulls, Sharks and Stormers on Monday with the final squads to be named by February 4.

Last year 23 black players were among the 117 to appear for the South African franchises.

The announcement came in the week of on-going racial disputes within the game.

Vice-president Mike Stofile has accused union president Brian van Rooyen of being "in the pocket of Afrikaners" and claimed that black Africans have been sidelined in the game's administration.

Van Rooyen has refused to comment until Stofile's complaints have been aired at Thursday's bi-annual meeting of the provincial presidents.

The Super 12 competition kicks off on February 25.

- REUTERS