SOUTH AFRICA boss Rassie Erasmus faces a possible stadium ban, unlimited fines OR being gagged from speaking to refs after he was charged for his sensational video rant.
The Springboks head honcho is staring at unprecedented punishments for his furious 62-minute knifing of referee Nic Berry.
Rugby chiefs will haul Erasmus in front of the beak when this summer’s Lions series finishes.
Erasmus, who has also bizarrely been on the pitch as a water boy this series, could also be banned from entering the field of play for future games.
But Warren Gatland’s Lions have also been rapped for voicing their concerns about South African TV ref Marius Jonker for the Springboks series.
Unleashing an extraordinary statement, World Rugby said: "South Africa Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus and SA Rugby will face an independent misconduct hearing for comments regarding match official performance during the test series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.
"Match officials are the backbone of the sport, and without them there is no game.
It's comical, the way the respect of the assistant referees and the refs is different between the Lions and South Africa.
"World Rugby condemns any public criticism of their selection, performance or integrity which undermines their role, the well-established and trust-based coach-officials feedback process, and more importantly, the values that are at the heart of the sport.
"Having conducted a full review of all the available information, World Rugby is concerned that individuals from both teams have commented on the selection and/or performance of match officials.
"However, the extensive and direct nature of the comments made by Rassie Erasmus within a video address, in particular, meets the threshold to be considered a breach of World Rugby Regulation 18 (Misconduct and Code of Conduct) and will now be considered by an independent disciplinary panel.
"World Rugby has reminded the management of both teams of the importance of this area and their obligations regarding the values of the sport.
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"In order to protect the integrity of the sport and its values, World Rugby will also undertake a review of its Code of Conduct relating to incidents of this nature with a view to strengthening scope, rules and sanctions.
"As with any test series, South Africa versus the British and Irish Lions is a showcase of rugby that generates great excitement and interest, even more so at this challenging time for sport and society.
"It is an opportunity for both teams and their management to set a positive example and concentrate on the spectacle and a wonderful example of rugby and its values at their best."
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