Africa-Press – South-Africa. Before Rassie Erasmus’ early morning Twitter rant aimed at Nick Mallett, the SA Rugby director of rugby first sent the former Springbok coach a WhatsApp message.
But the WhatsApp message was deleted before Mallett could read it when he woke up on Saturday morning.
Mallett confirmed to Afrikaans newspaper Rapport that he had received a deleted WhatsApp message from Erasmus at 03:32 on Saturday morning.
This follows Saturday’s news of Erasmus taking to Twitter to hit out at Mallett for comments made on SuperSport’s Final Whistle show the previous weekend.
Mallett had criticised the coaching structures in SA Rugby and said Erasmus “shouldn’t be on social media talking about the Springboks”.
At 04:47 on Saturday, Erasmus tweeted a scathing voice note that was evidently directed at Mallett, saying the TV pundit did not know what the director of rugby role entailed.
“I struggled to sleep because I was really upset about your comments last week on Final Whistle,” said Erasmus.
“No matter what it is, it’s just the things that you said without any substance behind it. Nick, I’m just going to tell you straight up, you don’t know what a rugby director is or what his job is.
“Obviously, I’m not appointing coaches. Go and read the thing, I have no authority in appointing coaches.
“The second thing is, I do have a programme running called ‘the fast-tracking of elite black players’, who haven’t had the opportunity in Super Rugby and the URC and we’re fast-tracking them. We’ve got a sponsor for that and we’re proud of that programme.”
Erasmus continued in the more than two-minute rant, saying he “loved” Mallett but he mustn’t “talk s**t to the people”. He also defended his incessant tweeting about the Springboks, especially regarding officiating.
“When you start saying things like, I must get the referees right and stop tweeting [about] the Springboks… the Springboks are the most important thing, that’s my first priority, and I will do anything to make the Springboks win,” said Erasmus.
“So, please don’t stop me at anything there. You said I must bring the referees through; yes, we bring referees through but it has to be accepted by World Rugby.
“If you can help in any way there, it would be really great for you to help us.
“Nick, I’m not going to fight with you in any way. I’m just saying, between what’s happening on the ground and what you guys are showing on your show on SuperSport, somewhere there’s the truth there.
“I would suggest [that you] hang close to that truth because currently, you are far away from that truth and you’re missing the ball with quite a distance.
“Obviously, you know me well. I love you and I thought you’re a guy with big [inaudible term] but, unfortunately my man, I will have to rectify you and send you some stats and get this (voice note) out there.
“You can’t talk this s**t to the people.”
Mallett said he couldn’t see what Erasmus had written in the WhatsApp message at 03:32 as it was deleted by the time he woke up.
He declined to comment further on the matter.
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