Watson: I'm sold on SA

By Angela Quintal

Luke Watson says he will not be prepared to play in a Springbok jersey again, if it remains the national emblem representing the South African rugby team.

However, he will also not look towards greener and more lucrative pastures overseas to continue his career.

"I am incredibly passionate about South Africa, as a nation, as a people. I believe we have the potential to rise above all the adversity, as we have done in the past.

"Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am completely sold on this nation. I never envisage going overseas."

Given that the SA Rugby Union (Saru) announced last week that it would adopt the King Protea as the national emblem and move the Springbok to the right of the jersey, it may well be that the only thing standing in the way of Watson playing in the national squad in future is whether he will ever be selected again.

He believes, however, that the controversy over his reported comment that he wanted to vomit on the Bok jersey would not bar him from future selection and that he does have the support of the majority of South Africans, despite the "vocal minority trapped in the past".

Watson was speaking after his disciplinary hearing failed to get off the starting line, after his top defence team of advocates, consisting of Jeremy Gauntlett SC and Matthew Blumberg, successfully argued that it had not been properly constituted.

Although Saru has stated it is looking at its options over whether to proceed against Watson for allegedly contravening its code of conduct, it has to contend with presiding officer Nape Dolamo's express warning that this might not be the prudent thing to do.

Earlier, Dolamo confirmed that he could not proceed with hearing the case against the rugby player given that he did not have the authority to do so - due to a vacuum in Saru's regulations and code of conduct.

"The ruling is that the disciplinary hearing was not properly constituted, and on that basis it could not proceed.

"It simply means they can go back and get the amendments, but it would not be the most prudent thing to do, because in our law we need to guard against retrospectivity," Dolamo told The Star.

He confirmed that he had made it clear in his ruling that Saru would run into difficulty if it tried to proceed against Watson again.

While the Watson family claimed victory in the matter, Saru's options could include a possible appeal.

But Watson's lawyer, Brian Biebuyck, said that while it was theoretically possible to proceed against him, practically this was unlikely "as they will have to amend their regulations or code of conduct, but can't enforce such amendment retrospectively".

Watson, who has given his first full print and radio interview since he was caught in a storm of controversy over his reported comments last month at the Ubombo Rugby Club in Cape Town, says he bears no grudges and wants no apology.

Although he maintains his comments were illegally recorded on a cellphone at a private function and that he knows the name of the University of Cape Town student who did so, he does not want to take any legal action. This is despite the advice of his attorney and advisers, including his father Cheeky.

"I walked out victorious today. For me that's good enough. I don't want to dwell on the past. I am moving on. Tomorrow is a new mission and a new day. I will start training. I want to live life to the fullest."

On the possibility that Saru might still proceed against him, he said: "That would be very characteristic of them. If they do, I will be there again."

On his change of heart on the Springbok jersey, given that he was prepared to wear the Bok emblem in the past, he said: "So that I can stand here and justifiably say I have tried it, I have tested it and I have experienced it.

"I have grown to understand the culture, to understand what the Springbok represents, and I have become even more accustomed to the oppressive nature of the Springbok towards a majority of the people of this country."

Watson maintained that the Springbok was the symbol of apartheid, segregation and oppression.