Survivor SA's Neil: I had no idea about the 'rock tie-breaker' rule

So there he was in tribal council thinking life was good. Some people had just unofficially named him the Luzon team captain and Neil accepted it. He thought he had a strong alliance and was certain that he'd be heading back to camp.

But then someone in his alliance faltered and in a tie-breaking draw of rocks, where the two people who got the most votes are excluded from the game, leaving the rest of the tribe up for elimination, it was Neil who picked a white rock and was the second person to leave Survivor South Africa: Philippines.

"There was adrenalin going through my system. There was annoyance and disappointment. But that was fleeting. I changed that and thought 'at least I'm going out like a rock star.'"

Neil is adamant that he wasn't outplayed by any of his cast mates, but instead it was the game that outplayed him.

"I got voted out by chance. I got beaten by the game," he said in an interview with TshisaLIVE.

He was on the island for six days and admits he never knew there was a rock tie-breaker rule. Neil said he always thought the two people who got the most votes had to face-off in a challenge of some sort.

"We weren't given the chance to converse with our tribe mates. What you saw on TV was how it happened. I absolutely did not know about the rock rule."

In a statement to TshisaLIVE, M-Net said there are a number of ways to resolve a deadlock at tribal council and the fire-making challenge that most viewers will know is reserved for later in the series.

Now, while watching the show, Neil said he's surprised at how sneaky some people are, but is able to hold his head high because he has a close awareness of who he is and thinks that showed on TV.

"It was a real affirmation of who I am. You build relationships and you lead people. I have a close awareness of who I am and it came across."

Survivor airs on M-Net (channel 101) on Thursdays at 7pm. This season is a goodie. Seriously.