The gloves are off in the fight between SA Rugby and Springbok coach Allister Coetzee. But how has this situation come to a point where everybody's dirty laundry is being washed out in the open?
A powerful and emotional letter from Coetzee's lawyer to Jurie Roux was leaked to the media on Saturday, with the Bok coach having a full go at the SA Rugby chief executive as well as the board for their handling of what looks like his imminent dismissal as Springbok coach.
Coetzee, who has only won 11 of 25 Tests since taking charge of the Boks in 2016, let Roux know about his unhappiness that he hasn't had a proper review of his second year in charge of the team, and that he is not prepared to work as a"ceremonial" coach for the next two years while new director of rugby Rassie Erasmus takes the team to the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
But one can't help but feel that all this squabbling in the public domain could have been avoided if SA Rugby just followed the correct process and procedures to get rid of Coetzee, especially as he is believed to have a performance clause in his contract.
The Boks finished their European tour on 2 December, but almost two months later there hasn't been a proper review process, while Erasmus has been busy in the background getting what looks like a backroom staff together.
Surely on results alone there must be grounds to fire Coetzee, but SA Rugby -- according to the verified contents of Coetzee's email -- is communicating in bad faith, and has subsequently lost the moral high ground.
Coetzee is clearly not the man who should take the Boks forward, as there has been little progress against the top teams to suggest that the Springboks can pry the William Webb Ellis trophy from the All Blacks' tight grasp.
Of course, Coetzee has been hamstrung by various issues during his tenure as Bok coach, as stipulated in the email sent to Roux. The rules surrounding eligibility of South Africans plying their trade abroad need to be revisited, while Coetzee started off his tenure with unwanted backroom staff and little time to prepare for his first assignment against Ireland.
But for the most part over the last two years Coetzee has been the architect of his own demise, and at some point he need to take responsibility for the Boks' poor showing during that time.
The former quicksilver Eastern Province and Saru scrumhalf has let himself down with a few selection howlers and inept game plans.
As a coach he has always been conservative in his thinking and planning. He would rather stick with a mediocre but solid player instead of an exciting youngster, who is prone to the odd mistake but can be a match-winner with a bit of magic.
One of Coetzee's strong points is his man management, and the faith he puts in his players. However, he doesn't quite know when it's time to cut a player loose when he is not performing.
But Coetzee is still an employee of SA Rugby, and the proper procedures need to be followed if the rugby body wants to fire the coach. It's his constitutional right as a South African. But Roux and his bosses have again lost some credibility in the way they have handled the situation.
Super Rugby is starting in a few weeks, and the Boks have a massive incoming tour against England to prepare for. So instead of focusing on matters on the field, it looks like most of the rugby headlines over the next few weeks will be because of issues off it.