Zeena Isaacs
8 September 2008
Johannesburg — SA RUGBY said yesterday that there was no evidence of any "sex video" or blackmail involving Bok coach Peter de Villiers, and the matter was closed.
The man at the centre of the storm, former Springbok media manager Chris Hewitt, is facing disciplinary action.
De Villiers, who is 51 years old, made headlines countrywide yesterday after allegations surfaced that a secret sex tape existed in which he is believed to be making out with a girl in East London, and that unless he selected an unnamed player in his squad, the video would be leaked to the media.
According to reports yesterday, De Villiers said Hewitt confronted him about the allegations before the historic Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand at Newlands four weeks ago -- in which the Springboks were beaten 19-0. Hewitt said Cedric Frolick, vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, had told him about the tape.
It emerged yesterday that De Villiers was summoned to a meeting of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport the Tuesday before the Australia Test in Durban three weeks ago -- which the Boks lost 27-15 -- at which controversial Springbok flank Luke Watson's name was believed to have been mentioned several times. However, there is no evidence of any link between this meeting and the alleged blackmail attempts.
The chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport, Butana Khompela, yesterday relayed all inquiries about the De Villiers issue to Frolick because he was attending his sister's funeral.
Sources close to SA Rugby also suggested yesterday that Hewitt and Watson's father, Cheeky Watson, who also has close ties with the government, had become close recently. These sources described the De Villiers saga as suspicious.
De Villiers, Frolick, South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Oregan Hoskins and Hewitt could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But Saru's strategic communications manager, Andy Colquhoun, said: "We have investigated the allegations and the tape and as far as we are concerned we closed the book on that matter a week-and-a-half ago. We looked into all the claims and there is no basis in fact. We are now pursuing the source of these inquiries."
Colquhoun's comments followed a statement on Saturday in which De Villiers and Saru "categorically denied" there had been any attempts to blackmail or coerce the coach over the selection of any player.
Hewitt faces a disciplinary hearing this week for his involvement in the embarrassing scandal, and for failure to please the media and the players in his first few games in the job.
Hewitt received a letter from Saru last week asking that he resign or risk being fired.
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