Wednesday, 16th May 2007 at 5:38 pm

Luke Watson: black and proud

He hasn’t returned the calls yet, but Feverpitcher is quietly confident that after failing in its attempts to lure on board Schabir Shaik, Blackman Ngoro, and Albert Mokoena, a BEE partner has finally been found: Stormers captain Luke Watson, who was officially unveiled by Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool on Monday as black. And to think none of us had realised it before…

It’s great news for local rugby, of course, with the push for transformation nipping furiously at rugby’s heels; a black loose forward of genuine class is most welcome. Unless that loose forward is Watson, and you happen to be national coach Jake White, who has a warm, loving relationship with the Stormers star along the lines of that once shared by Graeme Smith and Ray Jennings.

And that should make for the coolest weekend they’ve had in Bloemfontein since Mickey Arthur was last in town (not much chance of a Christmas card to Mickey from the Dippenaar family this year; or the Boje’s, for that matter). But while Jake White deals with his 46th man, the rest of the country is dealing with politicians embroiled in a frenzied rugby debate playing out in lurid details across the nation’s front pages.

And Watson is at the centre of it all, politicians making him a post-apartheid martyr, and Luke’s father alleging that a rugby Third Force is at work in the game’s shadows. (Who’s in this Third Force, Feverpitcher wonders? Louis Luyt? Probably. Andre Markgraaff? Good bet. Stuart Dickinson? No doubt whatsoever…). It’s made for a bizarre, almost surreal week in a sport that does self-harm like no other, and will continue to do so, small matters like a Super 14 final or World Cup notwithstanding. Still, we’ll try and stay positive, and take cheer from Watson’s Bok inclusion - another step in the right direction for black rugby players. Amandla.