World Rugby mum on latest Rassie Erasmus ‘water boy’ stint

World Rugby has, at the time of publishing, said nothing about Rassie Erasmus‘ latest ‘water boy’ stint against Scotland.

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Mind you, perhaps the sport’s governing body have been too busy excluding Springboks and All Blacks players from their Player of the Year nominees to comment!

Erasmus, the SA Rugby director of rugby, had controversially performed water boy duties during the Springboks’ series against the British & Irish Lions earlier this year.

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During those three Tests, Erasmus did everything but hand out water and instead spent time engaging with the players.

British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland questioned the legality of Erasmus’ role and World Rugby were predictably vague in their response.

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As luck (bad luck?) would have it, Erasmus then released his now infamous 62-minute video in which he questioned the capabilities of World Rugby’s officials after the Springboks lost the opening Test at the Cape Town Stadium.

World Rugby were quick (shockingly) to jump to the defence of their referees, ARs and TMOs and confirmed both Erasmus and SA Rugby would face an independent disciplinary hearing.

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Erasmus then elected to stay in South Africa when the Springboks headed for Australia for four Rugby Championship Tests so as not to prove a distraction as he prepared for his hearing.

That hearing duly went ahead on 30-31 October and we await the outcome.

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Ahead of the ongoing end-of-year tour, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber announced that Erasmus would not resume his water boy duties in the United Kingdom, saying: “In the Test games against the British & Irish Lions, World Rugby came out and made a third water carrier spot available.

“It was a role we fulfilled internally and gave Rassie the opportunity.

“We’re now back to two water carriers so there’s no space for him. He will be in the (coaches’) box with us at the top,” Nienaber claimed.

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Erasmus was indeed in the coaches’ box in the first match against Wales in Cardiff but on Saturday reappeared on the side of the field with his water boy bib and the smallest bottle of water ever carried by an actual water boy.

Erasmus’ touchline appearance resulted in THIS video which you have to watch!

Did Nienaber lie? Did World Rugby change a ruling?

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An actual referee confirmed to The South African website on Monday that the current wording of the World Rugby water boy law states: “A maximum of three non-playing personnel are allowed to enter the field of play for the purposes of water carrying (which is only permitted when play is stopped for an injury or when a try has been scored). The Manager and Coach are not permitted to act as water carriers at any time. The water carriers must wear the Technical Zone bibs provided by the tournament organiser at all times.”

Strictly speaking Erasmus is not the ‘manager’ nor the ‘coach’ so was entitled to carry H2O. Expect a tweak to that law in the coming days!

One waits with bated breath to see what Erasmus does against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

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