Springbok coach Peter de Villiers remains a target for the British and Irish Lion, not to mention their media, and he now stands accused of deliberately telling lies about not being congratulated by British and Irish Lions counterpart Ian McGeechan.

The credibility of De Villiers, who has already been forced into a public apology by the International Rugby Board over his post-match eye-gouging comments, took another knock on Wednesday when Lions Media Manager Greg Thomas revealed that De Villiers was indeed congratulated by McGeechan, twice.

De Villiers, who this week also described himself as a "God-given talent", told the media on two occasions that nobody in the Lions camp had congratulated him on South Africa's series victory ? following the 28-26 second Test victory in Pretoria last Saturday.

When he was then asked, three times, at a media gathering on Tuesday if McGeechan shook his hand at any stage after the Test, the Bok coach's answer was an emphatic 'NO!'

Thomas on Wednesday took the unprecedented step of telling the media gathering in Johannesburg that McGeechan had indeed shook De Villiers' hand and congratulated him.

When approached by rugby365 after the media gathering Thomas said that the two ? De Villiers and McGeechan ? met on two separate occasions after the match at Loftus Versfeld.

"Ian [McGeechan] twice congratulated the Springbok coach after the match," Thomas said, adding" "The first time was when the two coaches had passed one another in the corridor on the way to their post-match TV interviews, and the second time was while they again passed each other outside the hall where the post-match media conferences were held. The second time they even had a brief conversation and Ian shook De Villiers' hand."

Thomas also said other members of the Lions media management team were present on the second occasion and mentioned and witnessed their coach congratulating the Bok mentor.

De Villiers' latest public faux pas follows his statement at the weekend that flank Schalk Burger ? who received an eight-week ban for his facial massage on Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald ? should not have been yellow carded.

It was perceived as De Villiers endorsing eye gouging and resulted in a call from the International Rugby Board, who insisted that the South African Rugby Union make public their stance and view on eye gouging.

This, in turn, resulted in a public apology by both De Villiers and SARU President Oregan Hoskins ? when they issued a joint statement condemning all acts of foul play.

However, De Villiers has come under fire from the Lions camp, with players and coaches alike condemning his ridiculous outbursts and statement.

Injured B&I Lions centre Brian O'Driscoll pulled no punches when he let fly with a barraged aimed at De Villiers, calling the Springbok mentor a "disgrace" and his comments "despicable".

Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree on Wednesday dubbed added his view and described De Villiers' comments "crass" and "pathetic".

"They were completely out of order," said the former Leicester, England and Lions prop, adding: "I'm glad he's had to withdraw them. And indeed he's being investigated a bit further.

"I've been gouged. There's no place in the game for gouging. I think it's ridiculous what he said.

"I agree with Drico [Brian O'Driscoll], I think it is a crass comment, pathetic really.

"For any young, aspiring player and indeed parent watching that game, with national coach almost saying it's okay, I think it is ridiculous."

Rowntree said the entire Lions touring party has been upset by what De Villiers said, but denied they will be using it as motivation going into Saturday's third and final Test in Johannesburg.

"We're upset by it, you can't make those comments. However, we're quite happy to move on. I don't think emotions will boil over [on Saturday]. We've got a squad of professionals here, it is going to be hard enough to play the game anyway without trying to think about emotions of the week before."

Rowntree added that he felt that increased bans would probably be the only way for the IRB to go to cut out gouging.

"How a player can think he can get away with it with so many cameras watching the game is beyond me.

"I've never gouged anyone. What would make a guy want to do that, what advantage he thinks he can away with by doing that, and how he thinks he can get away with it is beyond thought for me. It is indefensible."

The Lions scrum mentor also said he thought the reputation of Burger, the IRB's Player of the Year in 2004, had "probably" taken a big knock in the Lions camp.

"There's been no official apology [from Burger]," Rowntree said, adding that De Villiers was out of line for defending Burger "for acts like that."

Lions captain Paul O'Connell added that the comments by De Villiers, who has recommended the Lions buy a tutu and take up ballet if they can't handle the physicality of rugby, were a "big mistake" and were made without thinking.

"It was a bad comment to make," said the Ireland lock.

"It was a clumsy comment to make straight after the game. He probably should have thought about it."

* Meanwhile it has transpired that De Villiers has already had his "private chat" with the SARU boss, Hoskins.

Hoskins declined to divulge any details of the meeting, but said that it was "extremely well accepted" by the Bok coach.

The two "shared views" and De Villiers has been told to be careful about his public statements.

But there will be no further steps taken against the Bok coach... for now.

It is not certain how his latest public lie will be perceived, but it has not endeared him with the media and may well result in another round of "talks".

By Jan de Koning, in Johannesburg