On 03 November 2012 the Sharks team defeated Eastern Province Kings 29-14 in the SARU national sevens final for and I stress here for mens teams. A member of the impressive EP team was none other than one Mbembe Payi. Payi was a student at DHS earlier this year and became the first over-aged rugby player to be caught in the scandal that triggered a subsequent age audit of all under-16 and open age-group school rugby players in KwaZulu-Natal.
Honestly when I found out that Mbembe had participated in the national sevens tournament, I did not know where I stood on this issue. First of all I could not believe he was still using the same name. Reports from earlier this year indicated that Mbembe Payi was not his real name. That aside, part of me was happy for Mbembe, a likeable youngster from a poor background who is getting to put his skills to good use and hopefully get somewhere in life as a result of it. At the same time the other part of me was upset that there is no punishment handed down in the form of a suspension or something of that nature to a player who had been caught cheating just a few months ago.
I have had the good fortune of being able to talk to Mbembe on several occasions prior to his fall from grace. It was always a pleasure chatting to him. From my experience he was a polite, humble and friendly young man; he has a likeable personality. He was someone who could win you over in a conversation because of his modesty. Then there was his sublime play on the field. His step-and-go was a gift from above. It was something that could not be taught. Watching Mbembe in motion was a special experience filled with excitement. I can recall many occasions on which he dazzled crowds with his footwork and even caused his own school supporters to chant his name. The play I remembered best was when he effortless stepped his way past four would-be Kearsney tacklers one after the other as part of a 45-metre run that ended with him scoring a brilliant try. It would have counted as a touch rugby try as well. Not one finger was laid on him. I sat amongst Kearsney supporters that day and we all stood up and applauded his solo effort. He has talent. It would be unfortunate if he was lost to rugby.
I don’t know that his age, believed to be somewhere in the early twenties, would have made a difference to his performances at school level. I suspect that he was capable of executing the same show-stopping moves when he was a real teenager. He did not depend on size or strength, relying rather on just skill and speed. That all does not matter now though. My once good memories of a promising youngster’s achievements, something that I enjoyed telling others about are now tarnished. The point is he is/was a cheat and he knew he was cheating.
And so I have to ask: what message does this resurrection of Mbembe Payi as a successful EP Kings Sevens player send out to the next or possibly even existing cheat in our school system? Carry on! Go for it! Live the lie! If you get caught, so what! You can just pick up the pieces and continue your life in another region as if nothing ever happened in the first place. Somehow irrespective of the poverty that might have motivated Mbembe to do what he did or the great personality belonging to the individual concerned, this present situation just does not seem right. In my view Mbembe has to pay a price for his wrongdoings if for no other reason but to send out the right message. Or have we become so immune to corruption in our country that we have given up on trying to do what is right and fair?
For the record: the EP Sevens team : Elroy Ligman, Athi Manentsa, Michael De Vos, Billy Mentoor, Baldwin McBean, Coyi Banda, Marlon Lewis, Bronwyn Gysman, Ryan Brown (c), Norman Nelson, Andile Witbooi, Mbembe Payi. Management: Eric Toring (Coach), Tony De Laura (Ass Coach), Ricardo Langbooi.
School of the year in the news:
http://keo.co.za/2012/11/21/ithembelihle-aim-for-sustained-success/
@beet: I have no idea – the rumours are that he is now at a rural school in Ciskei area.
It seems age cheats aren’t only found in rugby. Orlando Pirates FC have suspended their youth programme after a few players were found to be over age. Maybe 1 of Tom’s cousin
Hi FB says he graduated from Glenwood
@CyndiAtRugby: What is he doing about completing matric?
@Greenwood: Tom is still active on Facebook so you can see what is happening from there.
I hear from the guys at Glenwood – Tom is or was playing rugby in the Western Cape
@oldschool:
i dont think they would intentionally get old players.i dont think any age cheats have come through DPHS bar one… dont know abot GWD Prep
Surprised to see him playing representative rugby. I would have thought that some sanction would have been appropriate. To my mind what he and others like Tom did is as bad, if not worse, as taking performance enhancing drugs
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I am indeed , however , i do not for a minute believe that either school, expecially DPHS would intentionaly bring in over age boys , both the coach and Head master are ethical operators and have created a top class rugby programme ….however , i do believe that some boys that have come through the system are age cheats , not to the schools knowledge of course but the whole age group cheat thing this year has hopefully dealt with the matter going forward ….
I just hope that the boys are investigated thoroughly before joining…..
I hear that GW prep have already brought in 4 boys for next year …..and based on my experience of this years players they should be big boys whom can play ….just hope that GW prep have also thoroughly checked there okes ….
@ all
Interesting read:
http://www.hssm.co.za/interviews/rugby/kwazulu-natal/high-school-rugby-going-pro-kznru-leaders-interview-part-4
@Griffon:
For what sport and what age-group? I haven’t heard anything though…
@ horsy ; just asking, i might have heard a DHS coach might come over to Westville, but as o said not entirely sure. might have heard incorrectly.
@Griffon:
I can only think of Gericke. Why have you heard something?
@oldschool
Are you referring to DPHS and GWD Prep?
@ Star : I thought as much, with only 4 weeks of school left, I think Norris, who I rate highly as coach, has little time to cement new techniques or patterns to the boys. But with hard work from both the boys and him, they can learn a lot before next season. Pity that the boys start this late, as other schools started long time ago.
@ Griffon- and not just for rugby. Also I think Norris has been confirmed as the U16A coach which means preseason can start in earnest.
On the note of other over age players. I heard Siyabonga Tom is/was at EP. Not sure how true it is, so he’s also trying to make a career out of rugby. Not sure how he would play with people his ‘age’. As he struggled with schoolboys this year. @ Horsy : Are there any coaches leaving DHS this year
On a similar note – has there been any cases of drugs found in CW players or GK week?
And what were the sanctions there? Generally for a sport that has a lot of rumblings about drug use (in amongst the very high schools we talk about) it seems that very few players actually get exposed.
With 7s now being an Olympic sport where the testing appears to be more stringent, I wonder if this is going to be something that rugby is going have to face?
@Rugger fan: I must say there are a number of things that occurred in Mbembe’s past that don’t tie up. You mentioned his SA Colours. Those were meant to be for SA Schools Sevens. He however never attended the tournament on the Isle of Man with the SA team. He would have needed a passport etc to travel. That was back in September 2011. He was officially caught some time around April 2012. I wonder if there is an unofficial date on which he was found out.
I also read that the documents of one of the Lion’s Academy Week hookers contained irregularities. The Lions did not investigate any further. They simple removed the player from the team.
@beet: I believe they actually do have involvement. If Payi was selected for a representstive team, and played in a SARU sanctioned tournament – then SARU do have direct involvement and responsibility under the regulations above.
And here I believe SARU have ducked their responsibilities. This player not only caused his school some pain, but he had KZN colours (so KZN get implicated) and similarly for his SA colours.
I spoke to an official from one of the big RUs about what mechanisms they had in place to detect over-age players who accept junior contracts. It seems like there is little to nothing in place with the contract being based on trust as well as the presentation of a “valid” ID and a signature verify all disclosed info including DoB is correct.
With the confidentially expected from school officials and the SA Schools Act, I’m not even sure that school officials are allowed to pass on information to RUs about whether or not players passed age audits. So a player that fails the age audit could possible still use his illegal ID to sign a post-school contract and if confidentiality is properly maintained, he might get away with it.
@Rugger fan: @Playa: He has definitely committed a criminal offence. Of that there is not doubt. In terms of what SARU can and should do in a matter like this where a player breaches the rules at school level where they don’t have a direct involvement, would be interesting to find out.
All players making any provincial representation (even KZN U12) need to sign a SARU agreement for the code of conduct – so another source – the SARU Disciplinary Regulations (this IMO shows the need for an internal SARU hearing on the matter – but alas “too late she cried”):
2 Breach of the Constitution, Regulations, etc
2.1 A Province, Rugby Body or Person shall be guilty of an offence and subject to sanction by a Judicial Officer or Judicial Committee if it is found to have –
2.1.1 breached, failed to comply with or contravened the Constitution of SARU;
2,1.2 breached, failed to comply with or contravened the regulations of SARU;
2.1.3 breached, failed to comply with or contravened the by-laws, rules or regulations of the International Rugby Board, or any other body of persons or organisation to which SARU is affiliated or associated with in terms of a joint venture agreement or other agreement, including but not limited to, SANZAR, CAR, or otherwise, binding on SARU;
2.1.4 breached, failed to comply with or contravened any decisions taken, any resolutions adopted or rulings made by a general meeting, the executive council, the IRB or any other body of persons or organisation to which SARU is affiliated or associated with in terms of a joint venture agreement or other agreement, including but not limited to, SANZAR, CAR, or otherwise; 2.1.5 breached, failed to comply with or contravened any contract entered into by SARU to which such a Province, Rugby Body or Person is a party;
2.1.6 breached, failed to comply with or contravened the SARU Code of Conduct;
2.1.7 brought SARU or the Game or any Person into disrepute; or
2.1.8 engaged in conduct, behaviour or practice(s)which or action or lack of action is detrimental to the interests of SARU or of the Game.
@oldschool: If they can curb the over-age issue at age 12-14, it would be easier to police in high school.
They shouldn’t even both to test all. Kids that qualify for testing are those that are in the A-teams and look bigger, stronger and faster than their A-team peers. No one is overly concerned about the B-team player who’s a softy or struggles to keep up or is easy to bring down.
http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/AboutIRB/0/PLAYINGCHARTER_6259.pdf
IRB Charter
@Playa: SARU has disciplinary structures – and they should have had an investigation and hearing – just as they do for foul play, drugs or any other misconduct.
This in my eyes is a breach of the IRB Charter and should have been handled by a disciplnary committee. Then once a verdict had been issued and any resultant sanctions (whether they were time based, bannings or a mere fine) – then we could all live with the outcomes and these kinds of debates would become moot.
Now however – no matter how Payi progresses, there will always be the elephant in the room and he will have to carry this, irrespective of how good he is.
The age thing is going to pop again in the KZN /Durban primary schools again as both the bigger DBN primary schools are accepting boys into grade 7 next year on rugby scholarships …..
I myself dont mind as it strengthens our KZN primary schools team , however , the rumblings are starting with the rivals !!!
This is a tough one.I do believe that there should be grave sanctions towards cheaters in sport (at all levels).What sort of ban do kids bust for taking steroids endure?Is faking your age comparable to taking banned substances?Should players still suffer the same punishment for coming clean (albeit after an investigation)?
Another view would be that what Payi did is a criminal offense.He, however, has not answered to any court of law, and therefore is not guilty of a crime, and therefore like any other citizen, has every right to plight his trade wherever.
I think a definite process of how to handle such matters needs to be put in place if we are to learn from this example.
The kids grow sooo fast these days—
I was surprised any union was willing to sign him, but Mbembe being an PE boy must’ve had plenty of chances to impress the Union and they finally decided to bring him on
Agree – one can be brilliant (Lance Armstrong) – but if you cheat (Lance Armstrong) – there need to be sanctions.
A guy like Hansie who came clean (as far as we know) and made full admission – was banned from ANY participation in the game (I personally always thought he should have been allowed to coach in underprivelleged areas.
I agree we should not lose talent – but by not applying ANY sanction we are giving a message that it is fine to cheat – on the field and off the field.