Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says SA Rugby’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is ‘less competent’ than him.

Coetzee made the statement in a letter addressed to SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux, which was leaked to the media over the weekend.

In it, Coetzee claimed he was offered a ‘ceremonial role’ as Bok coach for 2018, and would have to report to Erasmus, who would be in charge of the team.

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According to Coetzee, it’s all an elaborate plan to get rid of him. He says it’s ‘shocking’ that he would be required to report to Erasmus, who is ‘less competent’.

Coetzee claims that, as a person of colour, he is being used to pave the way for Erasmus’ appointment as the new Bok coach.

‘There’s a general belief within SA Rugby that the plan had always been to replace Heyneke Meyer with Rassie. But SA Rugby wanted to avoid any controversy regarding transformation and a strategy was put in place to use my appointment to disguise their ultimate goal of putting Rassie in the role,’ Coetzee wrote.

‘A strategy was developed to use me as a coloured person to conceal the end goal – by offering me the job as Bok coach – but to not equip me with the necessary resources to adequately perform my tasks. It would lead to me vacating my position earlier in order for Rassie to eventually be appointed.

‘This strategy is not in line with SA Rugby’s transformation mandate. It’s distasteful, to say the least, to use me as a black South African as a pawn in such an untenable manner.’

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