| Summary: | This study aimed to explore the newspaper media’s constructions of blackness and whiteness
as contained in a set of 84 articles published by the Independent Media Group in the same
month (June) over four years (2005 to 2008). The data was collected using the Independent
Media Online database. Various search strings were used and the final data set was drawn
from an original sample of over 50 000 articles. The final set of 84 articles was examined
using a thematic content analysis of the broad trends in relation to the constructions of
blackness and whiteness in relation to black players specifically. This analysis revealed
negative constructions of blackness such as black players being described as weak, lazy, and
inherently lacking the skills, abilities and attributes to represent South Africa at a national
level. The concurrent positive portrayal of whiteness results in white players being
constructed as trustworthy, capable, meritorious and above all innately capable of playing
rugby at an international level. Examples of black and white exceptionalism support the
earlier findings regarding blackness and whiteness but take them further by examining
examples that don’t fit the typical construction of race presented earlier.
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