Erasmus responds to Foster's view on epic battle between Springboks and Ireland

2023 Rugby World Cup Pool A, OL Stadium, Lyon 29/9/2023

Springboks Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has taken issue with AB coach Ian Foster on what type of rugby game is a better watch. Foster was critical of some elements of the epic Ireland win over South Africa referencing that the ball was only in play for 27 minutes. 

Speaking after his side's win 14 try win over the Azzurri, Foster went on to compare New Zealand's facile game to Ireland's win over South Africa last weekend. Foster suggested that his side's win over Italy was a better spectacle than the bruising affair between Ireland and the Springboks.

“If you look at the South Africa-Ireland game, it was a different game of rugby,” said Foster.

“The ball was in play for 27 minutes throughout the whole game. It was a very stop-start game, very physical, very combative. You saw a different spectacle tonight and at some point the world has got to decide which game it would rather watch.”

Erasmus responded saying "Ian always a straight shooter and say it as it is! Have respect for him since he coached the Chiefs!! But I think 2 min more ball in play and a epic battle between Ireland and Boks is the game I would rather watch !!"

Ian always a straight shooter and say it as it is! Have respect for him since he coached the Chiefs!! But I think 2 min more ball in play and a epic battle between Ireland and Boks is the game I would rather watch !! ( while saying that your boys were crisp and clinical 🤝) https://t.co/qeo7M4y5nv pic.twitter.com/nB2wzAWSZC

— Rassie Erasmus (@RassieRugby) September 30, 2023

All Blacks head coach Ian Foster was keen to stress that Ireland have yet to qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals amid discussions of a possible clash between the two side in the knock-out round.

Foster's side are a step closer to the quarter-finals after their 96-17 hammering of Italy with just a game against minnows Uruguay left to play.

Foster was praising his side's performance when he underlined that Gregor Townsend's Scotland side could pip Ireland for a place in the knock-outs. Ireland will face Scotland next weekend with Scotland taking on Romania this evening.

“It was a performance we wanted this week,” said Foster last night.

“People create a lot of panic about your chances and all that sort of stuff, particularly after we lost the first one [against France].

“The critical game for us in this pool was always going to be Italy. There was enough evidence to show that if we didn’t perform well and they played as well as they have been performing this year, it was going to be a heck of a tough game. We were good enough to take that away from them.

“We have to do the same next week as the same applies. Do the maths and next week’s also equally important. We put ourselves in control of our own destiny and that’s where we want to be and put some pressure on some other teams who have still got some tough games coming up.

“Look at Ireland. If Scotland win two games then Ireland can miss out. It’s a tough World Cup.”

Foster is not thinking about who his All Black side could face in a knockout game , with the possibility of it being either South Africa, Scotland or Ireland.

“Not at all,” he said. “I have got no preference about who we play. Those questions early in the pool don’t mean a lot as there are a lot of things that can still happen. We don’t spend any time thinking about what might happen.

“I know that’s a boring answer but that’s the truth. What happens if Scotland go and play two great games and either Ireland or South Africa, are not there?

“We’ll do our job, take it one week at a time and find out who it is. You just have to look at the draw to know that the quarter-finals are going to be huge. We just want to get there. Then we’ll worry about who is there.”