After the All Blacks coach criticized some aspects of the thrilling Ireland victory over the Springboks, SA Rugby’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus disagreed with Foster on what kind of rugby match is more entertaining to watch.
Foster said that rugby fans would much prefer to watch an open game with lots of tries than a high-intensity, gritty match between two of international rugby’s best teams, as was the case in the two-try Pool B game between Ireland and the Springboks. Foster was speaking after the All Blacks scored 14 tries to destroy Italy and earn a crucial bonus-point victory.
Foster remarked that the South Africa-Ireland rugby match was unlike any other.
“The whole game’s 27 minutes of play were spent with the ball in motion. It was a highly violent, confrontational, stop-start game.
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You witnessed a different spectacle tonight, and eventually the world will have to choose which game it prefers to watch.
SPRINGBOKS BOSS RASSIE ERASMUS HITS BACK WITH RECEIPTS
Foster’s unusual post-game comment was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media, giving Rassie Erasmus the chance to answer via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
“Ian is always honest and tells it how it is! Since he led the Chiefs, I revere him,” Erasmus wrote.
But the game I would prefer to watch is one with 2 minutes extra of ball in play and an epic struggle between Ireland and the Boks! Your dudes were slick and professional while I was saying it.
Rassie Erasmus, who never gets into a fight without his arsenal, supplied receipts to support his claim.
He included two images to his post, one of which highlighted the one-sided character of New Zealand’s triumph against Italy in contrast to the other, which showed how fiercely contested the Boks’ match with Ireland was.
