The South African Rugby Union has decided that pursuing disciplinary steps against controversial loose forward Luke Watson is not worth the trouble.

SARU confirmed that they will not be going forward with any charges against Watson over the comments he made regarding the union's officials, the Springbok jersey and the national side's emblem.

Watson was called to a SARU disciplinary hearing last month, in terms of the provisions of the SARU Code of Conduct.

This follows the iafrica.com exposé on his melodramatic outburst, in which he claimed that he felt so nauseated by wearing the Springbok jersey that he wanted to vomit on it.

Another claim he made was that "the problem with SA rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen", whilst Watson also suggested that SA rugby is "rotten to the core" and that "the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am".

However, last week Watson was cleared, on a technicality, after SARU failed to show that the presiding officer in the matter had the authority to hear the case in the first place. Dolamo, agreed with Watson's legal counsel, Jeremy Gauntlett and Matthew Blumberg, that his appointment as Judicial Officer was not authorised and dismissed the case after a hearing which lasted just 90 minutes.

SARU, despite the fact that the merits of the complaint against Watson were not dealt with or considered, has decided that pursuing the matter is not worth the trouble.

Watson has never disputed making the remarks and in fact went on record last week as saying he would never again play for a team that has the Springbok as its emblem - confirming his disgust in the leaping antelope as a national emblem.

"The South African Rugby Union initiated disciplinary steps against Mr Luke Watson after it came into possession of a recording of remarks made by Mr Watson at a function organised by the Ubumbo Rugby Club at UCT on 3 October 2008," SARU said in a statement.

"The recording was provided to SARU after it was already in the possession of the media. In the light of the remarks contained in the recording, which have been widely reported in the media, SARU had little choice but to take the action it did.

"SARU accepts the ruling of Mr Nape Dolamo on 11 November 2008, who was appointed by it to conduct Mr Watson's recent disciplinary hearing, to the effect that his appointment was unlawful owing to a lacuna [gap] in the relevant regulations. SARU has also noted his observation that, although it is open to SARU to remedy the problem by amending its regulations, such amendment may violate the presumption against retrospective application of enactments.

"SARU has also noted that Mr Watson has never disputed making the remarks in question and in fact has recently been reported as indicating that the identity of the student who made the recording of his remarks is known to him.

"However SARU has decided that although it will have to amend its regulations in any event with a view to the future, on legal advice received it will not charge Mr Watson afresh in accordance with amended regulations."

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