Berry email reveals he agreed with Erasmus on 17 of the 36 clips
Wednesday’s publication of the full 80-page written judgment in the verdict of the Rassie Erasmus and SA Rugby misconduct hearing included email correspondence between first Lions Test referee Nic Berry and the Springboks director of rugby on the 36 clips that were sent post-game to the match official for review.
The clips that Erasmus wanted feedback on from the Australian eventually featured in the infamous 62-minute video that leaked out in advance of the second Test last July, a match in which Berry was an assistant referee.
This video eventually resulted in Wednesday’s misconduct hearing verdict banning Erasmus from all rugby for two months and banning him from any involvement on a matchday until September 30 next year. SA Rugby must also pay a fine of £20,000, while Erasmus and SA Rugby must also apologise for their actions.
That video was made by the Springboks director of rugby on July 27, seemingly the day after he had received a clip by clip response from Berry on the pieces of the play the South African boss wanted to be reviewed.
In the email sent from Berry on July 26 at 23:22 to Erasmus, which also copied in World Rugby referees boss Joel Jutge and Springboks assistant coach Felix Jones, the referee agreed with the Springboks director regarding 17 of the 36 clips.
"My reputation as a referee and person will forever be tarnished"
– What Nic Berry told the judicial hearing about how the 'character assassination' by Rassie Erasmus damaged him#Springbokshttps://t.co/BJ2uN3Z5Rb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 18, 2021
The email from Berry was rather cordial. It opened: “Evening Rassie. See below my comments to your footage. As per my previous email, I look forward to working positively with you for the rest of the series. Nic.” There then followed a clip by clip review from Berry in which he reviewed the onfield decisions that had been taken in the first Test match that was win by the Lions (the answers in which the referee agreed with Erasmus are in bold):
Clip 1: I don’t feel this has enough force to warrant a YC.
Clip 2: I don’t believe this to be foul play.
Clip 3: Only dangerous foul play would result in the knock-on being cancelled.
Clip 4: This is the same incident as clip 3. See above comments regarding dangerous foul play.
Clip 5: Initial contact by Green #4 is on the shoulder of Red #12. The PK is against Green #5. Replay shows his arm making contact with the head of Red #12. The force is minimal and not clear and obvious.
Clip 6: Low degree of force to the head of the ball carrier. PK sufficient.
Clip 7: Green #12 lowers body height into contact and Red makes contact across the shoulder. There is no evidence of head or neck contact.
Clip 8: Agree. This should have been reviewed by the onfield team because of the driving action by Red #20.
Clip 9: Same incident. See above comments.
Clip 10: Agree. Side entry by Red 11. Should be PK to Green.
Clip 11: Agree. I called this advantage over too soon after Green #15 broke through. I should have gone back for the PK.
Clip 12: Agree.
Clip 13: We have a low tolerance for players falling on the wrong side.
Clip 14: Agree. Should be PK advantage.
Clip 15: Agree. Same as above.
Clip 16: The ball is immediately available after the kick challenge so I play through. This is different to the previous two examples.
Clip 17: Agree. Red #6 went straight to ground.
Clip 18: Not clear to me. No tackle has been made and it’s not yet a ruck.
Clip 19: Red #4 is legal. Green #1 tackles Red #5 off the ball so should be PK to Red.
Clip 20: It’s irrelevant as I was already playing advantage for an earlier infringement.
Clip 21: No clear lift of the ball.
Clip 22: Live I felt he played at the ball late and didn’t lift the ball initially but on review he is legal.
Clip 23: Green #4 came onto his elbows so I called him off. He responded quickly so played through. The reverse angle footage shows this clearly.
Clip 24: Agree. Green #12 is onside. It’s a disappointing call.
Clip 25: Disagree. Red make it back to the offside line.
Clip 26: Agree.
Clip 27: Strip consistency. In the first two examples are ball is stripped after the tackle is completed. The strip by Red #4 is simultaneous with the knee hitting the ground.
Clip 28: Are you asking for a PK here?
Clip 29: Yes, Red #3 should not lean on the ruck like this. Joel will speak to the Lions about this and the next example.
Clip 30: See above comments regarding the same player.
Clip 31: Agree. The wording should have been better. It needed to be clear and obvious to overturn my on-field decision of a try.
Clip 32: Agree. The lineout should be where Green took it out and not where the ball was kicked.
Clip 33: Agree. Red #4 grabs the ball and doesn’t allow Green #9 to go quickly.
Clip 34: Timing is marginal. No PK here.
Clip 35: Agree I got this wrong. Red #7 shouldn’t slide up on your LH.
Clip 36: I disagree. Green #4 got a hand to the ball in the air knocking it forward.”
BREAKING: The authorities have clamped down heavily on Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus following his Lions tour outburst #Springboks
https://t.co/TToLYAy83W— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 17, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
This is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
2 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
4 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to comments