Rugby Union: SA alter non-white rule

MORE NON-WHITE players will be guaranteed provincial rugby next year following a decision by the South African Rugby Football Union to increase quotas in one of their competitions.

For the 2000 Vodacom Cup, five of South Africa's 14 provincial teams will be required to field a minimum of five black players. The remaining nine must play three black players.

The reason for the distinction is the five Cape provinces of Boland, Border, Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Western Province have a century-old tradition of non-white rugby. The quotas have been increased from three players for the Cape provinces and two for the remainder.

Spain hope to have Biarritz seeing double when they meet in the European Shield Pool Five match at Tudela, near Pamplona, today. The Spanish squad has four sets of brothers, including three sets of twins, in what is largely a family affair.

Two sets of those twins, Sergio and Carlos Souto and Daniel and Roger Ripol, are named in the side to face the French club as Spain try to gain their first win of the tournament.