Black History Month: Joining an important conversation
Now the Director of Commercial Partnerships at Northampton Saints, Ulundi Makhanya’s university dissertation on South African apartheid was very close to home as his South African parents had fled to the UK during that time.
"My dad, who became an architect, and my mum who was a trained nurse, were part of the struggle and had to leave the country.
"Even in the UK my parents experienced some tough situations, that were different to the life I experienced growing up... I didn’t think prejudice was part of my experience, until it was," he says.
He says that throughout his rugby playing days he has felt safe and supported and can remember very few negative experiences.
"I think between the ages of 17 and 25 when I was out and about I experienced racist comments whenever I left London, or a friend travelling with me would be called a 'n***** lover'.
"Since then, I think everything that happened around George Floyd made me aware that people were ready to engage in conversation. They might say 'that only happens in America', but would listen and I began to understand that we need to proactively engage to be part of the change.
"People are ready to listen more and are open to hearing and discovering more. I decided that it was time to put myself outside my comfort zone, and become part of the conversation."
Although Ulundi finds it uncomfortable talking about himself, he has become something of an ambassador for integration and understanding, speaking on a panel at a Black in Sport conference and was recognised in the Rugby Black List Awards as a future leader within the black rugby community.
His parents weren’t particularly interested in sport, though both, particularly his mum, were incredibly supportive, ferrying Ulundi around and he discovered rugby when he was awarded an assisted place at Dulwich College, where teammates included the likes of David Flatman and Andrew Sheridan.
He played for school and Blackheath as well as England Schools and in the Kent and Surrey junior teams, as well as the Wasps Academy. Going to Exeter University, he played for the university and Exeter Chiefs, where the captain was Rob Baxter, now their Director of Rugby.
Having worked for what is now the Rugby Players Association and served an internship with IMG he went to South Africa for almost three years working in roles that involved managing relationships with broadcasters and looking after the rights of rugby commercial sponsors.
"One reason I went was to experience my background and culture, but it could be challenging as I don’t speak the national languages and sounded so English."
He returned to England and worked for British Triathlon for nine years before joining Saints and progressing to Director level. With support from Sporting Equals through the LeaderBoard programme, he has become more vocal about the importance of inclusion and diversity in sport.
"The more that you have different faces, the more diverse rugby becomes can only be positive. The advantages that come see us making better informed decisions, and making the most of commercial opportunities," he says.
Being part of the Rugby Blacklist awards “I was so proud to be involved in that celebration which was such a positive next step.
"It was great to meet new people and be with old friends like Saracens head coach Joe Shaw, who I played alongside in the U19s. It was nice to share that moment together, as neither of us knew we were winners, it was an incredibly positive evening."
