Scrumming Against All Odds: Voices of SARU Rugby Legends

Scrumming Against All Odds tells the powerful stories of fifteen extraordinary rugby players – men who were denied the chance to represent their country solely because of the colour of their skin. And yet they played on. From the 1950s to the 1980s, from Salie Fredericks and Cassiem Jabaar to Dale Santon and Riyaadh Najaar, theirs were careers of grit, resistance and brilliance played out on dusty fields and against impossible odds. These are the stories that apartheid tried to erase, of men who provided inspiration for countless players of colour – and who are now finally given the recognition they deserve.

“Today, South African rugby stands as a symbol of unity and pride. As Siya Kolisi lifts trophies and inspires a new generation, we must never forget those who came before. The ones who took to fields with torn boots and battered bodies. The ones who knew they would never wear the green and gold but played anyway. The ones who refused to be erased. The ones who scrummed against all the odds!” – Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture