Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus knows he failed with his transformation targets in 2018.
According to the South African Rugby Union (Saru), Erasmus had to have at least 45 percent black representatives in his team this year.
But in the last Test - the 20-11 defeat to Wales - only eight out of the 23 players chosen were black.
At next year’s World Cup, Erasmus must have a representative average of 50 percent, and while he failed this year, the Bok coach is confident of meeting the requirements.
Erasmus explains in an interview with SuperSport:“To transform is to change - changing the team, changing the environment, [and to ask] are these guys getting the same opportunities?
“I don’t want to cheapen transformation because we all know when we sit there in a team meeting what has happened in the past because there weren’t numbers.
SCHEME: Rassie Erasmus. Photo: SAMUEL SHIVAMBU/BACKPAGEPIX
“A black hooker [for example] will get injured and now we have to put a white hooker in and then you have to drop a white winger and put a black winger in there.
“And that’s when transformation becomes a joke - [that’s] when people get upset, fans get upset, black players get upset, white players get upset.
“But if you’ve got a more long-term vision of ‘listen boys, let’s give the guys exposure slowly [it will work]'.
“What excites me a lot, if you think about it, a guy like Ox Nche - I don’t think he will be ready for the World Cup next year - but he played for the Springboks.
"Then you’ve got Beast [Mtawarira], you’ve got Bongi [Mbonambi and] Chilli [Ralepelle].
“A guy like Trevor [Nyakane] knows exactly where he stands with us. He can definitely go to the World Cup, but there are certain things he needs to work on.
“Marvin Orie was there, [Sikhumbuzo] Nothse, Oupa [Mohoje], obviously Siya [Kolisi] is our captain, Embrose [Papier] is there, Elton [Jantjies], Damian [de Allende], Lionel [Mapoe], Lukhanyo [Am], [Makazole] Mapimpi, Sbu [Nkosi], Aphiwe [Dyantyi], Damian Willemse is there, [Cheslin] Kolbe and Gio [Aplon].
“So we’re trying to create a squad that we don’t have to do start moving around because that’s where the whole transformation thing loses credibility.
“I know the last Test we only had eight out of 23, but I’m not going to cheapen it and lose faith in the player.
“I’d rather take the blame and have people say: ‘Rassie one of your KPIs is not achieved’.
“When we go to the World Cup, I’m sure of the names that I just mentioned we’ll find enough [players of colour] out of the 31 to go to the World Cup.
“That’s why I feel the transformation goal has been achieved, maybe not the number.
“I must take the flack for the number, but I’m not going to cheapen transformation.”