George Malgas: 'Transformation is here to stay'

Eastern Province Rugby Union President George Malgas has defended his decision to ‘intermediate’ in the selection of three provincial school teams.

His reaction follows a selection imbroglio that exploded over the weekend, with a leaked letter from the EP High Schools Rugby Association to the union President revealing a deep divide between school team management and the union administration.

They expressed their dissatisfaction with the selection process, suggesting ‘political interference’ from the union was undermining them.

Changes to the Under-16 Grant Khomo, Under-18 Academy and Under-18 Craven Week squads are at the heart of the drama.

“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 letter addressed to Malgas and the union’s GM Mzi Mpofu said.

Malgas, however, stood his ground and told @rugby365com that the proposed teams lacked adequate representation from rural and disadvantaged township communities, a mandate aligned with SA Rugby’s development goals.

Despite a threat of a walkout by coaches and management staff, only one team manager resigned.

Following tense discussions, the coaching staff chose to stay with their squads.

This includes Johan Meyer, a former Italian Test player and EP Under-16 Grant Khomo forwards coach, who reportedly told Malgas he now has a ‘better understanding’ of the reasoning behind the team changes.

He was at the centre of weekend media reports that aired the controversy and quoted the scathing letter, including resignation threats.

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The letter alleged that standout, merit-based performers were dropped for players who had failed to progress past the early trial rounds.

Grey High School prop Carl Killian and loose forward Arno Nortjé had been removed and replaced with players from Tsitsikamma Secondary School and Bonzai Kabega School.

“You should see what the prop Carl had to make way for looks like,” Meyer was quoted as saying.

“To be honest, I feel sorry for the kid. He doesn’t know how to scrum properly, and as a forward at that level, a guy has to know what to do.

“It’s a specialised key position that they’ve been messing with. I just hope and pray that he doesn’t get hurt.”

Malgas, however, was adamant that the teams were changed because they were “not representative” of the nearly 100 schools in the area and that only four or five ‘privileged’ schools were represented.

“When we received the list of players from the selectors last Thursday, and we scrutinised the list, and we discovered the list was not representative of EP’s demographics,” Malgas told @rugby365com.

“The team was largely made up of players from the [Nelson Mandela Bay] Metro, and two schools from the Grahamstown area.

“We were not ready to accept this list. It had not made any provision for players from the previously disadvantaged areas.”

He said they sat down with the selectors, who insisted they followed a transparent, merit-based process for selection, but the union’s administrators demanded greater representation from previously disadvantaged communities.

Malgas asked the selection panel to return to the drawing board and identify two players for each team who came from ‘previously disadvantaged’ schools and had participated in the trial system.

He wanted players who ‘fell through the cracks’ in the system and featured in the Mali tournament for players from impoverished backgrounds.

Malgas used Springbok squad member and Lions star Batho Hlekani as an example.

Hlekani is from the township of Zwide in Ibhayi, the same township as double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, and first attended Ndzondelelo High School before moving to Graeme College.

His performances for the school earned him selection for the South Africa Under-20 side in 2024 and 2025.

The EPRU boss also pointed out that a combined selection of the Mali tournament played in the Easter Week festivals.

While the selectors did return with names, it was only three names, not six, and they wanted them to be additions to the squad, not replacements for players already selected.

“That would have made our group not be in line with the South African Rugby Union’s regulations regarding the sizes of the groups,” Malgas added.

The selectors were instructed to tell us which players they wanted replaced, but that did not happen.

“That afternoon, they returned and told me they could not buy into that [replacing players already selected].

“I told them the public would not accept the team as selected, and I will have to answer for the selections.

“Politicians will also have asked me about players from previously disadvantaged areas.

“Also, what message would we have sent to players from outside of the metro?

“We needed people from Graaff-Reinet and Tsitsikamma to also associate with the team.

“The convener of the selectors then presented us with additional names, and we made the changes to the teams.

“We believe the changes are ‘like-for-like’ and in line with SARU’s selection guidelines.”

He pointed out that the SARU guidelines also require a minimum of 12 players of colour (non-white) in every matchday 23.

“We replaced players from privileged schools, who have sufficient opportunities, to give a chance to a player from a disadvantaged school.

“We brought in a player from Graaff-Reinet in the place of a player from Grey High.

“On the bench, a player from Motherwell was included, and I did the same in the Under-16 team.”

He admitted that the changes caused a stir among the unhappy coaches, resulting in the threatening letter.

“Yes, the transformation issue is still with us and will remain with us for a long time,” Malgas told @rugby365com, adding: “I can’t run away from that responsibility.

“We will be crucified for allowing a team selected from an elite group of schools.”

He reiterated that the changes were made based on names put forward by the selectors and were not ‘thumb suck’ decisions.

“I stand by what we did and how we came to it.

“It is not like we have an agenda against a specific player or school.”

Despite the deep reservations about the process, Malgas said they had the right to walk away and they will be replaced by willing coaches.

“I don’t understand the unhappiness, because only one or two changes were made.

“You can’t tell me the team is significantly weaker.

“The onus is now on the management to go and coach the players and equip them with the skills.

“That is a challenge I gave to the coaches.

“I know there will be plenty of criticism, but I am happy with that.”

@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com