Craven Week and its Youth Week siblings have always been SA Rugby's transformation crown jewels, and rightly so.
The on-field numbers and the subsequent performances by black players have permanently debunked the myth of quotas weakening the game.
Every side has to have 11 players of colour in its match-day 23 from the Learners with Special Needs week in the first week of the July school holidays to the showpiece.
With the need for transformation an overarching one, the 54th edition starting at St Stithians College in Randburg tomorrow will only see one black head coach - Mphumzi Mpande of Border Country Districts - in the 20 teams.
Considering that out of the top 20 South African rugby schools, according to the various rankings, only one has a black head coach (Mziwakhe Nkosi - King Edward VII School), this statistic isn't surprising.
Former Springbok Sevens coach and current Stormers defence coach Paul Treu said the same initiative seen in the success of the on-field transformation programme needs to be transplanted to the coaching section.
"There is a drive to get players of colour into the system at under-18 level but the same doesn't seem to apply to the coaches," Treu said. "When they move to the senior ranks, a lot of those coaches aren't being given an opportunity to prove themselves."
Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids is an example of a mentor who has been given an opportunity at the highest level.
The fact Davids is the only coach of colour at Super Rugby level is indicative of the gaps in the system, Treu said.
"If it can be applied to players, the same needs to be done for coaches and I think that part of the game is neglected.
"In terms of certifying coaches, SA Rugby is doing their bit but when it comes to opportunities and the exposure, there's a failure in that regard.
"You can't have a case where SA Rugby is dictating to the South African National Schools rugby body who should be coaching the age group national teams, yet there's a lack of coaches coming through the same system," said Treu.
"SA Rugby has to ensure the coaches who have been identified in the system must be given an opportunity but they also don't have the luxury of a pool of ready coaches. I can only imagine how difficult it is for them because of that small pool."
Treu, who earned a Masters degree in sporting directorship from the Manchester Metropolitan University on top of another Masters degree he already has in education psychology from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, said a cognitive bias existed within South African rugby that does not allow the game to grow beyond certain boundaries.
He also said schools have a role to play in terms of getting aboard the coaching transformation train.
"There's something I call cognitive bias which stems from certain mindsets, beliefs and experience, then that bias is followed and one can get stuck in that mindset. If other things are better, they're going to be devalued. Unless people are going to be challenged in their biases, it's only then when coaches of colour are going to prosper. Cognitive bias is limiting and if you're not being made aware of it, you won't be doing things outside of your comfort zone," Treu said.
"The schools coaching fault has been created by default more than design because they are the predominant rugby schools and the players of colour in the system are coming from those schools.
"There's to be a directive from national government to give coaches opportunities because you can't blame those schools because they look for what will work for them and what's proven.
"When coaches don't have exposure, they won't be seen, heard or know the value of that coach."
