Sunday rugby headlines as Rassie Erasmus reveals his 'sad' fallout with Warren Gatland as he breaks silence

Your rugby news Sunday March 6

South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus has spoken for the first time about the furore during the Lions tour and revealed he and Warren Gatland haven't spoken since.

"That makes me very sad," said Erasmus, who fiercely denied leaking that controversial video on social media where he slammed the first Test officiating of Australian Nic Berry.

Erasmus was speaking in a wide-ranging interview with the Mail on Sunday.

The Lions won the opening match, with Erasmus highlighting a host of errors he felt Berry made and accusing him of showing Alun Wyn Jones greater respect than Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi.

There was further controversy about Erasmus going on the pitch as a water carrier during the Tests to give instructions to Kolisi and his team-mates as the Springboks came from behind to win 2-1.

Erasmus has been banned for 12 months over the video, but insisted: "I want people to know that I'm not this monster that I've been portrayed as.

"People think I leaked that video. I didn't. Who leaks something like that? Why would I wreck my whole career to do that?

"Many people have already made up their mind. How do you change people's perception when World Rugby have found me guilty and banned me for 12 months? I don't want people to feel sorry for me. I just want them to know what really happened."

In an interview with the Mail, Erasmus explains the flashpoint for the tour came ahead of the first Test when he feels Gatland tried to pile pressure on Berry and South African TMO Marius Jonker.

Because of the on-off build-up to the tour and doubts whether it could even go ahead, Erasmus and Gatland had become friendly and were saying the right things in public and to one another behind the scenes.

But