"Heal Sir Matt": Rassie Erasmus Claps Back at Matt Williams Over Springboks Criticism

• Rassie Erasmus fired back at Matt Williams with a sharp post on X, highlighting Williams’ poor coaching record
• Matt Williams slammed the Springboks and 2021 Lions tour as the "worst games of international rugby" he's ever seen
• Erasmus is in contract talks with SARU amid interest from overseas clubs as pressure mounts to secure his future beyond 2027

Springboks Head Coach Rassie Erasmus has clapped back at Matt Williams following his scathing comments about the Springboks and the 2021 British and Irish Lions series.

What did Williams say about the Springboks?

Williams, a long-time critic of South Africa’s playing style, was speaking in an interview on Off The Ball, where he described the 2021 tour to South Africa as an "abomination" and labelled it one of the worst international rugby spectacles he had ever witnessed.

“Let’s go back to South Africa. The South African tour was one of the worst tours ever, the worst games of international rugby I think I’ve ever seen," said Williams. The way that both management teams conducted themselves was disgraceful.

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“Rassie was running on the field as a water carrier. There was a leaked video criticising referees, ringing people up, and the style of rugby was an abomination. All they did was kick across the field and chase it. It was not played in a good spirit. It was aggressive — I have no problem with it being aggressive — but it wasn’t played in the spirit of rugby.”

How did Erasmus respond to Williams?

Erasmus responded with a succinct but brutal post on X, clapping back with a screenshot of a Google search highlighting Williams’s poor record as a coach. The image read:

“Matt Williams, the rugby union coach, had a 17.65% win percentage during his tenure coaching Scotland. He coached the team in 17 matches, winning only 3 of them. Two of those wins were against Tier 2 nations, Japan and Samoa, according to Wikipedia.”

The caption on Erasmus' post read:

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“Heal Sir Matt.”

See the tweet below:

Williams has been a vocal opponent of the Springboks’ tactical setup, repeatedly criticising the use of the so-called Bomb Squad, which he believes goes against the spirit of the game.

Speculation rife on Erasmus' future

Meanwhile, Erasmus is reportedly in negotiations with SA Rugby (SARU) over a potential contract extension beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

His current deal is set to expire after the global showpiece, but Rapport reports that at least two overseas clubs are closely monitoring the situation and could make a move for the 58-year-old.

Sources suggest Erasmus is seeking clarity not only on his own future but also regarding the status of his coaching staff, whose contracts are also set to expire in 2027. This includes Mzwandile Stick, Daan Human, Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Deon Davids, Tony Brown, roving coach Duane Vermeulen and National Laws Advisor Jaco Peyper.

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Erasmus has been involved in the Springboks’ coaching setup since 2018, guiding South Africa to World Cup glory in 2019 as head coach and later serving as director of rugby. Under his leadership, the Boks have maintained a winning rate of nearly 74%—the sixth-best in team history.

With speculation mounting and foreign clubs circling, pressure is building on SARU to secure Erasmus’ services beyond 2027.

SA Rugby mourns former Springboks captain

Briefly News previously reported that a former Springboks captain passed away after a long illness. The player who was born in Zimbabwe was instrumental even after retirement as both a coach and an administrator.

He has been described by South African Rugby as a leader in the game of rugby and has left an incredible legacy behind

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News