Saru playing a guessing game

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has forgotten one vital ingredient in the latest saga involving the Springbok coach. Since December Saru have been in hibernation over sharing information on the current state of affairs regarding the national coach.

We have often heard how the Bok team belongs to the nation and therefore there must be a certain amount of accountability.

After all, it’s the people who put the bums on seats who matter and without the supporters there simply wouldn’t be a national rugby side.

But instead there has been ongoing speculation – which rapidly became a tale of washing dirty laundry in public – after Bok coach Allister Coetzee’s controversial 19-page e-mail to Saru’s executive committee had been leaked to the media.

So who caused the leak? Coetzee himself or one of the committee members? Your guess is as good as mine.

But finally the public had some idea of what was going on. But still nothing has been confirmed or denied. Instead Saru has taken a stance of “we are not allowed to discuss employer/employee issues”.

Never mind the right of the public to stay informed, with the media grabbing at straws which meant that it wasn’t only the public being kept in the dark.

Fact is until being otherwise informed, Coetzee remains the Bok coach – and therefore made some telling points in his e-mail to Saru CEO Jurie Roux following a meeting on January 18 between the two.

For instance, Coetzee mentioned that it was a breach of contract for Saru director of rugby Rassie Erasmus to have already made appointments to the Bok management team, like defence coach Jacques Nienaber.

The Bok coach should have the final say who forms part of his management team and this was never communicated to him, Coetzee said.

It would tarnish SA Rugby’s name even more should an angry Coetzee take his employer to court as he is in fact planning to do because of unfair treatment like essential services failing to be rendered, not to him but to his position.

For the general rugby follower on the street, it is all about results at the end of the day and not the numerous humiliating, record losses which have been suffered over the past two seasons.

Indications are that Erasmus is already starting to operate as Bok coach behind the scenes.

So Saru, can we stop guessing now?