South Africa forward Luke Watson, the son of a former anti-apartheid activist, is unlikely to be considered for next month’s tour of Europe after being accused of insulting the treasured Springboks jersey.
An investigation by an independent attorney has found that Watson was in breach of the South African Rugby Union’s code of conduct following comments he made earlier this month.
Watson, who was a guest speaker at a rugby festival at the University of Cape Town at the beginning of the month, has been a regular in the Springbok team this season.
The Western Province player allegedly said he had to “stop himself from vomiting on the Springbok jersey.”
The former captain of the South Africa Under-21 team has a checkered history in South African rugby, having regularly criticized transformation issues and the coaching structures.
Watson, in a 2006 magazine article, intimated he had little time for former World Cup winning coach Jake White and captain John Smit.
White never selected the forward, citing his small stature as the reason for his continued omission.
Watson, the son of former anti-apartheid activist Cheeky Watson, did, however, find his way into the ’Bok squad last year, but only after some intervention by South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskinas.
Watson will now, after criticizing the Springbok emblem and the way rugby is governed in the country, have to answer for himself at a disciplinary hearing.
The date of the hearing is yet to be confirmed, but the loose forward is almost sure to miss out on next month’s tour to Europe.
South Africa are set to play three Tests, against Wales, Scotland and England, with the touring squad set to be named today.
With Watson likely to be out of the selection mix, national coach Peter de Villiers may opt to include specialist and previously uncapped No. 6 flanks Cobus Grobbelaar from the Golden Lions or Heinrich Brussow from the Central Cheetahs.
De Villiers, who took over from White at the beginning of this year, has had an indifferent start to his coaching tenure, having won just two out of six matches in this year’s Tri-Nations competition.
He is likely to leave out Europe-based players CJ van der Linde, BJ Botha and Joe van Niekerk and will also have to look to replace veteran fullback Percy Montgomery, who has retired from Test rugby.
There is also doubt whether he will again pick England-based flyhalf Butch James, who plays for Bath in the Premiership, who had a disappointing Tri-Nations campaign, but he will almost certainly restore first choice hooker and captain John Smit to the side.
Smit missed the majority of the Tri-Nations competition because of a groin injury, but has recently returned to action for his provincial outfit, the Sharks.
Also back in the frame will be World Cup winning center Jaque Fourie.
The Springbok squad will be named today, following the domestic Currie Cup final.
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