EPRU president George Malgas says the original U16 Grant Khomo Week squad selection was not representative of Eastern Province’s demographics.
Malgas was responding to criticism from EP’s Grant Khomo management team, who threatened to resign after changes were made to the squad following the completion of the selection process.
In a letter to Malgas, the coaches claimed that players who hadn’t progressed beyond the third round of trials had been inserted into the squad, while standout performers were omitted without clear rationale.
The coaches have since agreed to remain in their positions.
Speaking to Nova News, Malgas defended the union’s involvement and said concerns were raised when the proposed squad was presented to them.
“We received a list of the proposed players from the selectors last Thursday, and we scrutinised the list, and we discovered the list was not representative of EP’s demographics,” he said.
“The team was largely made up of players from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, comprising three or four schools, and two schools from the Makhanda area. We were not happy to accept this list. It had not made any provision for players from the previously disadvantaged areas.”
Malgas said the union asked selectors to revisit the squad and consider players who had participated in the trial process or the Mali tournament. He also insisted that the final squad resulted from consultation rather than unilateral union diktat.
“I want to reiterate that those names were given to us and not thumb-sucked by us,” he said. “I stand by what we did and how we came to it.”
EPRU general manager Mzi Mpofu also backed the decision.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that youth representative teams are a reflection of the whole community that falls under the auspices of EPRU,” Mpofu told Nova News.
“We cannot watch silently as children from disadvantaged and rural communities are systematically deprived of opportunities.”
Letter sent to EPRU by EP U16 Grant Khomo Week management
Dear Mr Malgas
RE: Concerns Regarding Amendments to the Grant Khomo Team Selection
We write to formally express our serious concern regarding the decision to include players in the final Grant Khomo squad who were not selected by the appointed coaching staff and selectors following the completion of the trial process.
As the management team responsible for evaluating players throughout the selection process, we are deeply troubled that several players who did not progress beyond the third round of trials have now been included in the final squad, while players who consistently demonstrated superior performance have been omitted.
The coaching and selection panel invested considerable time and effort in conducting a fair, objective, and transparent selection process. The amendments made to the squad have not been accompanied by any clear rationale and appear to disregard the outcomes of the trials. This raises significant concerns regarding both the integrity and credibility of the selection process.
While we fully support the development of rugby talent across all communities within Eastern Province and are committed to assisting promising players in reaching the required standard, we strongly believe that development should not come at the expense of player welfare, merit-based selection, or the competitiveness of the team. Placing players into a high-performance environment before they are physically and technically prepared may expose them to unnecessary risk and does not serve their long-term development.
Particularly concerning is the omission of players such as Carl Killian, who was one of the standout performers throughout the trial process. His selection was considered certain by both coaches and selectors, to the extent that his game time was managed during the final trial. Similarly, Arno Nortje consistently performed at a level that warranted inclusion within the Grant Khomo system and his exclusion is difficult to justify based on performance.
As educators, coaches, and custodians of the game, we have a responsibility to uphold principles of faimess, honesty, and integrity. Unfortunately, we cannot confidently support or endorse a selection process that appears to have deviated from these principles.
We therefore respectfully request that this matter be reviewed as a matter of urgency and that the final squad be reconsidered based on the performances and recommendations arising from the official trial process.
Should the current selection remain unchanged without adequate justification, we will unfortunately find ourselves unable to associate our names with the process or its outcomes. In such circumstances, we would have no alternative but to reconsider our continued involvement in the program.
This position has not been reached lightly. We are proud supporters of Eastern Province Rugby and remain committed to its success. However, decisions of this nature undermine confidence in the system, discourage participation from dedicated volunteers and coaches, and contribute to the challenges the province faces in attracting and retaining support from stakeholders and sponsors.
Given the limited time available before preparations continue, we trust that this matter will receive your urgent attention. We look forward to your response and to a resolution that protects the integrity of the selection process and serves the best interests of all players involved.
Yours sincerely,
Grant Khomo Management
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
