South African rugby bosses' attempts to cover-up the bizarre Springbok training camp before the World Cup have been further exposed by a video.
Footage of the camp aired by Carte Blanche on Sunday night showed the naked players carrying out humiliating tasks and included interviews which contradicted earlier attempts to portray the camp as an innocent team-building exercise.
Here are some of the contradictions:
Did players crawl naked across the veld?
NO:
When first asked this question by the The Star's sister paper the Cape Argus, Springbok team manager Gideon Sam denied it.
YES:
Team captain Corné Krige on Sunday night confirmed that the players had done so. He said players were naked and if they had made a mistake they were punished. Video footage shows players crawling naked.
Were the Boks forced to strip?
NO:
Krige said the players had taken off their clothes off because of chafing. He said some had asked to take off their clothes, so it was decided everyone could do so.
YES:
Camp commander Adriaan Heijns said players were instructed to strip naked. "When you are naked all your pretences fall away," Heijns said. "It levels the playing fields."
NO:
The deputy managing director of South African Rugby, Songezo Nayo, said: "From what I understand, they were about to get into the water and they did not want to get their clothes wet." Nike sponsors provide each player with a
Bok Speedo, but these were not considered for the water exercises.
Was camp meant to break them down?
NO:
Coach Rudolf Straeuli said the camp was a bonding exercise with an emphasis on fitness.
YES:
Heijns said the camp idea was one of military conformity, to break individualism and to get the players to unite as a team.
Were the experts consulted?
YES:
Straeuli said the camp had been planned after consultation with experts.
NO:
There was no provision for the camp when the Boks' programme was released. The Sports Science Institute's recommendation was for the Boks to have three camps of between eight and 10 days with the players going home for three days between each camp. At no time was the concept of the so-called "Kamp Staaldraad" discussed with sports science consultants.
Were the Boks fit?
YES:
Sam told Carte Blanche that the Springboks were the fittest team at the World Cup.
NO:
The Boks' faded in the final 20 minutes against England and New Zealand (matches they lost by 19 and 20 points respectively). Both opposing teams showed superior fitness.
Was the camp run on 'trial and error'?
NO:
Straeuli said the camp was not a case of "trial and error".
YES:
Krige, on returning from Australia, told the media that the camp was one of "trial and error". The captain added there were things he would recommend never happen again at a rugby camp.
Were guns used at the camp?
NO:
Sam and Krige at first said guns were not used at the camp.
YES:
Joost van der Westhuizen confirmed that the instructors did have guns, but these were fired only on two occasions, to start a team-building exercise and to wake up the players.
Was the water exercise extreme?
YES:
Krige said it had become unbearable in the water and (on the team's request) he tried to lead the team out but was forced back in. The team was kept in the water at Kamp Staaldraad for up to two hours.
NO:
One of the players, Ricardo Loubscher, said being in the water had been no different to the traditional ice-bucket recovery sessions, which last between one and five minutes.
Has such a camp been held before?
YES:
Sam told the SA Rugby website that "Kamp Staaldraad" had been similar to other camps held by previous Bok teams over the years; it was only the setting that was different.
NO:
No other Bok team has ever undergone a similar type of camp.