Peter de Villiers has opened up about his strained relationship with the media during his tenure as Springbok coach.

De Villiers coached the Springboks between 2008 and 2011 and often had uncivil and impolite run-ins with local and international media.

In an interview with Afrikaans radio station RSG, De Villiers reflected on his stormy relationship with the media, saying he believed they lacked knowledge because none of them played first-team rugby at school.

‘Back then I said, “We’ll pull a rat out of the hat”. Now if they [the rugby writers] just gave it some thought, then they would have realised I was a teacher for 20 years, so I taught those [proverbs] to children, I know that stuff …

‘With “rats” I referred to them, the rugby writers. If they then think I’m stupid, then so be it. I played them and I had them just where I wanted them. I used my poetic freedom to say things the way I wanted to.’

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