By Dr Harlan Cloete
I attended the Boland vs Bulls clash in Wellington this past Sunday, and it felt like being at a Paarl Royals cricket game—an electric atmosphere filled with passion and pride.
Well done to the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers for bringing us so much joy and excitement after the gloom of the Springboks defeat the day before.
From the marching band to the joy and hope that sport inspires, and the delight of young children racing onto the field, the day carried the promise of dreams waiting to be fulfilled.
It reminded me of Carl Sagan’s words: “We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers.”
With that in mind, allow me to once again publicly ask five questions to the leadership of Paarl’s 14 rugby clubs:
1. Why are the 14 rugby clubs not participating in the three competitions of the Boland Rugby Union?
2. Why are so many Paarl-based players turning out for neighbouring Boland clubs such as Roses, Hilcrest, Newtons, and Newtons Villagers? (Notably, the current Boland captain, Marlyn Williams, hails from Paarl.)
3. What are the actual benefits for the 14 clubs and their players in remaining under WP Rugby?
4. What potential opportunities could open up for the 14 Paarl-based clubs and players if they applied for affiliation with the Boland Rugby Union?
5. Is there a long-term vision for youth and junior rugby in Paarl, given that the high schools are feeder systems for local clubs already affiliated with the Boland Rugby Union? Would it not make sense to expose this young talent to the best available competitive competitions?
The leadership of Paarl club rugby owes it to the children to answer these questions honestly. This is not just necessary—it is urgent public debate that calls for mature, future focussed leadership, since Paarl is widely regarded as the rugby capital of South Africa, and arguably the world. Nowhere is there greater rugby talent than in the greater Paarl Valley.