Rassie Erasmus' video to World Rugby calling for fairness, respect and highlights foul play

A video of SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus calling for fairness, respect and highlighting foul play has been leaked on Vimeo. 

In the video, Erasmus addresses a host of concerns from the first test match including the officiating process and the feedback issues from World Rugby. The video is addressed to World Rugby as well as the likes of World Rugby Head of Match Officials Joel Jugte and Joe Schmidt in his role as World Rugby Director of Rugby and High Performance.

The Springbok Director of Rugby explains why he has been retweeting clips on Twitter and says that if this video leads to the Springboks getting a fine and that he must step away from the management for the remaining two tests and not be a water carrier as well that he is fine with the potential outcomes.

He explains that this is him personally doing this. He also explains that he is unhappy with the clarity given by Nick Berry from the first test and that with the Lions coming around every 12 years and wants the Lions and Springboks to equal chance on the field when it comes to laws, respect, the way players are treated, what is said in the pre-match coaches meetings with the referees, how they [referees] get treated post that and what is said in the media. 

After a lengthy introduction explaining the reasoning behind the video, Erasmus goes on to highlight indiscretions from the British and Irish Lions during the first test while also calling in the introduction for anyone to put together anything the Springboks did wrong during the first test. 

He first queries the tackle on Faf de Klerk and while saying that they took the penalty, which he says was the right call, he does ask whether this is a yellow card and if the Springboks did this, would it also just be a yellow card in the future?

He highlights a side entry from Tom Curry in his second query. 

Erasmus then goes on to talk about one of the disallowed tries for the Springboks where Cheslin Kolbe knocked the ball on in the build-up to the try. 

Erasmus argues that the Lions should have been penalized as Elliot Daly played Makazole Mapimpi off the ball.

Before diving into the details of the infringement, Erasmus explains that he felt that the referees gave preferential treatment to what Alun Wyn Jones had to say over what Siya Kolisi had to say. Saying 'when Siya [Kolisi] spoke to the referee and when Alun Wyn [Jones], the reaction on how they treated both those players was vastly different on who he was taking seriously and who he [Nick Berry] wasn't.'

Erasmus argues that Daly holding Mapimpi back is foul play and that foul play overrules anything else, so there can be a knock-on beforehand. Erasmus says 'The explanation that Nick Berry gave me, is that the foul play must be dangerous to overrule something else.' He goes on to explain that he has looked through the law book and he can't find any clarification that the foul play must be dangerous to overrule the previous mistake, like a knock on.

He then highlights how the referees dealt with the two captains. With the referees listening to Alun Wyn Jones but 'told Siya to go away'.

He adds the knock-on was valid but says that in his opinion, it is irrelevant whether he knocked the ball on or not, the result should have been a penalty to the Springboks.

He says that he might be wrong and there may be an update in the laws that he is not aware of. He concludes that decision by saying that he did not feel that Siya Kolisi and Alun Wyn Jones were given equal respect and that a penalty at this stage could have put the Springboks back ahead in the final 10 minutes.

That is just the first 20 minutes of the video, watch the full clip below.