The Pioneers - Black and Coloured Rugby Players in South Africa (1983 - 1993)

During the isolation years there were very few black and coloured rugby players who got the opportunity to play first class rugby in South Africa. Rugby was segregated and there were 3 different governing bodies running the game in South Africa. But there were some players who were able to break through and even represent the Springboks during this period, most notably Errol Tobias, Avril Williams and Chester Williams. There were other players of colour who played provincial rugby at the highest level, like Wilfred Cupido, Solly Geduld, Christie Noble, China Bell, Thinus Linee and Jerome Paarwater to name a few. This is a part of South African rugby history that does not often get told and we hope we could pay tribute to some great players who had to defy the odds to make a name for themselves. Enjoy and thanks for watching!