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Hoskins wants more colour in 2011 squad

DRIVEN: Saru president Gregan Hoskins. 23/07/07. Sowetan. UNDER PRESSURE: Oregan Hoskins, the mightily harassed president of SA Rugby Pic: TERTIUS PICKARD. 03/03/2006. © TOUCHLINE CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - 3 March 2006, Oregan Hoskins, CEO of SA Rugby, at the SA Rugby Offices in Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa Photo by Tertius Pickard / Touchline Photo
DRIVEN: Saru president Gregan Hoskins. 23/07/07. Sowetan. UNDER PRESSURE: Oregan Hoskins, the mightily harassed president of SA Rugby Pic: TERTIUS PICKARD. 03/03/2006. © TOUCHLINE CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - 3 March 2006, Oregan Hoskins, CEO of SA Rugby, at the SA Rugby Offices in Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa Photo by Tertius Pickard / Touchline Photo

South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Oregan Hoskins said on Saturday that administrators must improve efforts to ensure more black players go to the 2011 World Cup.

South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Oregan Hoskins said on Saturday that administrators must improve efforts to ensure more black players go to the 2011 World Cup.

Hoskins made the statement after the announcement of the 30-man Springbok squad for the World Cup in France later this year, which contained only six black players.

The squad to the 2003 World Cup also contained only six black players, though current coach Jake White has capped 23 black players in his four years in charge.

"Quite frankly we've made very little progress since the last World Cup," Hoskins said.

"That was the reason for the call to say that the planning for the next World Cup starts now.

"All of us agree that the work has got to be done at the bottom and not at the top. We've been doing it the wrong way around to make the task of the national coach and selectors easier. The lack of progress is not the national coach's fault, I think it's the administrators who are at fault and we have to take responsibility for that.

"I look forward to 2011 if we do our homework and I believe we will."

Hooker John Smit will lead an experienced group with 833 caps between them to the tournament that starts on September 7.

Squad:

Backs - Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Percy Montgomery, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Petersen, Andre Pretorius, Francois Steyn, Ashwin Willemse.

Forwards - Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Gary Botha, Schalk Burger, Os du Randt, Victor Matfield, Johann Muller, Danie Rossouw, Bob Skinstad, John Smit (captain), Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp, Albert van den Berg, CJ van der Linde, Wikus van Heerden. - Reuters

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