Cronje row rocks South Africa

That done, he declared the matter over, Cronje moved back to his allocated room with Davids and stayed there for the next four days. But it seems that the seven black players in the squad were critical of the management for what they deemed inappropriate punishment.

The black players appealed to Springbok captain Corne Krige, who met Straeuli to discuss matters, but nothing further happened until SA Rugby managing director Rian Oberholzer was informed, some five days after the room swapping.

Oberholzer demanded Cronje be sent home from the camp. He then appointed an internal investigation by the South African Rugby Football Union's manager of regulations, Christo Ferreira, and the union's legal adviser, Adri Brand.

What they found on arrival was a team on the verge of mutiny. What they did not find was conclusive evidence of racism on the part of Cronje, although both he and Davids were subsequently omitted from the World Cup squad named this week.

As South Africa's press got wind of the affair, Brand drafted a press release that probably did not go as far as Cronje might have expected.

It said: "The investigation found that there was not conclusive evidence to support or justify that Cronje had breached SARFU's Code of Conduct. Therefore, disciplinary proceedings against him based on the acts of racism were accordingly not warranted or justified at this stage. Should further evidence or information reveal a possible breach of the Code of Conduct by Cronje, the matter will be reinvestigated and, if appropriate, the necessary disciplinary action will be taken."

This is a long way short of the "exoneration" reported in the press. Straeuli met Davids privately on two occasions before the investigators arrived. There are rumours that Davids will tell the King Inquiry he felt under pressure from Straeuli to play down the incident and that he believed his chances of making the World Cup squad would be improved if he made less of an issue of the incident.

But Straeuli denies he had put any pressure on the lock. He did admit to meeting the player, but said: "I wanted to discuss his unhappiness over the whole affair." Straeuli conceded that Davids had been angry over being punished in the same way as Cronje.

If a race card has been played here, it is possible that it was played by Davids rather than Cronje, which is something the King Inquiry may not be keen to admit.

What is certain is that the inquiry will not be concluded before South Africa's squad sets off for the World Cup. However much they will wish to put the affair behind them, it seems certain to overshadow their tournament.