Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has responded to the latest comments made by his fiercest critic, Matt Williams.

The outspoken former Scotland coach this week said it seems the 7-1 bench split has now ended. He repeatedly slammed the Boks’ Bomb Squad tactic, branding it “against the spirit of the game” and “discriminatory against backs”.

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Williams told the DSPN podcast: “The 7-1 bench has quietly died. Thank God. No one went to a wake, and no one is saying, ‘Isn’t that sad?’ They played some absolutely extraordinary rugby and unleashed the talent and athleticism that we all know is in these South African players.”

When asked about the veiled compliment at Tuesday’s Bok team announcement, Erasmus didn’t hold back.

“In our team, I don’t think any of our players or management take him seriously, with all respect. He’s an elderly person who has been around the block and I’m sure a lot of people have a lot of respect for him.

“How we see it is they’re using him as clickbait. We don’t comment on other teams and what their team selection has been like and how they play or combine their teams,” Erasmus said.

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The Bok coach ended off his answer by saying: “We hear it, but we laugh at it.”

Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images