SA Rugby has reiterated that it will take ‘appropriate action’ once the legal investigation has been concluded into the incident involving Eben Etzebeth.

On Thursday, former Bok coach Peter de Villiers suggested he would not support South Africa at the World Cup due to his dissatisfaction over the way the Etzebeth saga had been handled.

His statements were in reference to allegations that implicated Etzebeth in an assault on the eve of the Boks’ World Cup squad announcement, which was alleged to have been fuelled with racial connotations.

Etzebeth first strongly refuted the claims, while SA Rugby stated that the lock would remain with the Springboks unless the police require reconsideration, with coach Rassie Erasmus throwing his support behind the lock.

In a further statement, SA Rugby again made their position clear, seemingly in response to De Villiers’ comments that the organisation had mishandled the matter.

READ: P Div won’t support Boks at RWC

‘As good and law-abiding corporate citizens, SA Rugby have given our full co-operation in the Eben Etzebeth investigation and will continue to do so,’ Thursday’s statement reads.

‘The case is in the hands of the NPA and the HRC. We trust and believe they will investigate it thoroughly. Once their findings are known, we will adhere to whatever is decided.

‘We stand by our earlier comments that we will not tolerate acts of violence or racial abuse. SA Rugby will take appropriate action once the legal investigation and process have concluded.’

Photo: BackpagePix