After being accused of killing the Springboks, director of rugby at South African Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, has hit back at former England coach Clive Woodward.
The 2003 World Cup-winning coach wrote in a column for the Daily Mail: “Confusion at the top and a lack of demarcation between the roles of director of rugby Erasmus and South Africa national team coach Jacques Nienaber is killing the Springboks.”
Asked about his comments, Erasmus replied on Tuesday: “I don’t know if the “Sir” is as important in South Africa as it is in England.
“Myself and Jacques are great mates, I’m the water carrier at this stage, so he’s a bit higher in the rank. We’ve always worked together since our military days – since 1990.
“The way we work together, if you look at that match on Saturday, in minute 71 we almost scored a try that was called back and then our working relationship would have been perfect.
“I wouldn’t want to listen to what Sir Clive Woodward [has to say].”