South African Rugby and World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus has been called to a misconduct hearing after his hour-long video critique of the match officials following the first Test loss to the British and Irish Lions.
World Rugby has expressed concern that “individuals from both teams have commented on the selection and/or performance of match officials”, but say the direct nature of Erasmus’s unprecedented public outburst requires a misconduct charge.
“Match officials are the backbone of the sport, and without them there is no game,” a World Rugby statement said on Monday.
The statement added that the video – in which Erasmus criticised Australian referee Nic Berry during his 62-minute dissection of his side’s 22-17 defeat in Cape Town – was a breach of World Rugby Regulations and would be considered by an independent disciplinary panel.
Potential sanctions for Erasmus, who now serves as South Africa’s director of rugby, range from a warning or a fine, to a possible suspension from his position as an administrator.
“SA Rugby has noted the charges brought by World Rugby and will respond through the designated channels. There will be no further comment until the process is complete,” SA Rugby said in a statement.
The Springboks had been angered by comments made by Lions coach Warren Gatland before the series started after scrumhalf Faf de Klerk evaded a red card for a tackle in South Africa ‘A’s victory over the tourists.
British media also reported that Gatland was furious at the appointment of South African Marius Jonker as Television Match Official for the series when New Zealander Brendon Pickerill could not take up the position due to travel issues.
“World Rugby has reminded the management of both teams… of their obligations regarding the values of the sport,” the statement continued.
“World Rugby will also undertake a review of its Code of Conduct relating to incidents of this nature with a view to strengthening scope, rules and sanctions.”
They added that the series is “an opportunity for both teams and their management to set a positive example and concentrate on the spectacle and a wonderful example of rugby and its values at their best”.
The tempestuous three-match series is level at 1-1 going into the final Test in Cape Town on Saturday.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
It took you over two weeks to shoot yourself down in flames. Life isn’t easy or fair. Make a decision and stick with it if you are whatever you are. Your choice, your consequences. Izzy.
Ulrich
Roar Rookie
Honestly, that's the parents' issue to resolve before it gets to that stage. Not the world's. Life isn't easy or fair. Make a decision and stick with it if you are whatever you are. Your choice, your consequences.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
There is a mountain of documented evidence, particularly teenagers struggling with their sexuality, many of whom are also struggling with their religious beliefs, who have taken their own lives on the back of the very statements Folau spouted. But you must already know this. No one can be that tone deaf. So what is your excuse?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ I don’t think World Rugby can sanction Gatland while they allowed others like Jones and Cheika to go unpunished for doing they same” Great point EFF! I can see Rassie’s defence team calling Cheika to the stand with a whataboutitis defence. Or conversely put him in the dock for a two-for-one trial. There's a few WB fans that might appear for the prosecution.
harry baker
Roar Rookie
Where can LISTEN to Rassies rant?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Paulo, did you see that skit with the Scottish comic? He bends over backwards in a dozen scenarios where he has offended someone, and is forced to apologise each time. But after each resolution he drops a clanger, that offends another minority. Then another apology. Your ‘English’ jibe there just reminded me. After all that arm wrestling, it would be just our luck to be bailed up by a disgruntled Englishman.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Just different clans in the same tribe really. Except the English.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
What use is an issue if it’s not unresolved, JN? :silly:
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
At the end piru, there is more shared in common, than in difference. Thank you.
piru
Roar Rookie
Rugby isn’t ‘suffering’ this phase as much as ‘reflecting’ it for mine. Think you've hit the nail on the head there KC We all need to do better where we can.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Paulo, posts are a bit messier now, but more real and culturally connected for mine, your socially-aware comment about Quade a recent example. I don’t think that ‘Izzygate soiled the Roar’ as much as our ‘civilisation’ reached a point of ideological collision brought upon by the climax of dualism, on the way to some (intensely disputed) kind of ‘3rd way’. (This is over-simplistic at least). Rugby is our beloved game, within our valued lives, and rugby chats are gunna bring the outside world into sport discussions. Every smoko shed is full of Delta variant, ‘new normals’ and non-believers all day, every day. Personally, I love philosophy as much as rugby, so whilst I wish more people would be ‘wise’ enough to simply ‘see it my way’, I am relieved that our cultural festerings are getting some air hopefully on the way to healthy settlement. Rugby isn’t ‘suffering’ this phase as much as ‘reflecting’ it for mine.
piru
Roar Rookie
No then?
piru
Roar Rookie
Read my response to Ken Apparently it’s been deleted I at no point compared Erasmus to Trump in any way except the method he used. As for the rest of your nonsense, it’s not worth responding to, pull your head in
piru
Roar Rookie
Yeah I dislike that as well KC - use the number and colour, and the ref is sir
piru
Roar Rookie
It doesn't matter how good a coach he is, he demonstrated he didn't know the law. Tim Horan constantly gets laws wrong too, does that mean he wasn't a good player?
piru
Roar Rookie
Was funny when O'Keefe called the same one, he very very clearly said it to the Boks as if he thought they didn't know the rule
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ NFL refs have an attitude of being above everything else that is going on, whatever decision they make is correct and they brook no discussion with players” Captains aside, (because once upon a time rugby captains co-refereed?) we had a similar ‘brook no discussion with players’ did we not? Personally one sign of NRL creep I’ve noticed is the use of first names between refs and non-captains. I think one of the cultural qualities of rugby is its hierarchy. It is part of its order. I did enjoy hearing a ref say ‘Get back black 7!’ to the most famous rugby player in the world. All this ‘Aaron, Aaron, settle down Aaron!’ as a placating counsellor, when Smith contests a decision as a non-captain, sticks in my craw. Not singling out ABs. Respect for the system deserves address in the shadow of the mountain that Rassie has climbed this week.
piru
Roar Rookie
Piru, Rassie Erasmus whatever his faults Champions equality and human rights… If you even have a clue where he comes from and what he mentally had to evolve to you would pause Read my response to Ken
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Roar discussions went downhill a few years back. Probably around the time Folau first posted. Seems to have been the start of very heated, ‘non-rugby’ diatribes and antagonistic rhetoric.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
“Try telling Bok supporters Rassie must stand down.. “ JN - Rassie must stand down. As he said he would. …that actually wasn’t that hard :silly: Also, don’t forget, Japan beat you too, you left that off the list. Seriously though, no one is saying RE hasn’t done great things for SA rugby. I was amongst the majority of fans that were stoked for your WC win and we all celebrated for you and with you. But the conduct since then has been unbecoming the World Champion status you all fought so hard to achieve. I get that you may not think so, and I get that a majority of Bok fans don’t give af what a Kiwi or Aussie think. You don’t have to agree with how the rest of the world is now viewing REs actions. But this kind of public lynching of a Ref can’t be tolerated. Also, the flip side is that a public lynching of RE also needs to be kept in check. This is why World Rugby needed to act sooner, so there was an outcome or consequence, and we could all move on. Instead here we are, a week later, still banging on about it.