The Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, has hinted at using the now controversial 7-1 split on the replacements bench during the 2023 Rugby World Cup that kicks off on Friday.

The Boks super-charged their bomb squad during the recent 35-7 win over the All Blacks at Twickenham in London recently and the move has drawn criticism with some labelling it as reckless and dangerous.

Some have even gone as far as to ask for the Springboks to be sanctioned, however, for the world champions it’s a tactic that worked.

It was a bold move to say the least and the reality is that if it didn’t work for the Springboks nobody would have batted an eyelid.

Erasmus, said they aren’t going to pay attention to white noise and they will continue to use the tactic as it is within the laws of the game.

“We have been in a bit of a bubble,” said the World Cup-winning coach and former Springbok captain.

“We are focusing on what we are trying to do and how we can be successful at the World Cup. We don’t really care about how other teams are doing it and what their opinions are.

“We are just staying within the game’s regulations and laws. So, for us, it’s about what’s best for our team, what works for us, and that certainly won’t be the same from one weekend to the next.

“We don’t really care about what other teams say about it. It’s about what’s best for South Africa and the Springboks.

“I really didn’t pay much attention to it. You know, if it was something that we did wrong, obviously, that would have been something that bothered me, but we followed all the laws and the protocols.

“Since I was playing, we only had two reserves, 15 players on the field, and two on the bench and then it became 22, and then it became 23, and then you had to have a full front row.

“I know the laws, the protocols and all the regulations really well; if you are a coach at this level and work with coaches at this level, you have to know the laws of the game.

“So, if it was something that we did wrong, then obviously it would have bothered me.

“But what I’m trying to say about that, and I’m not being arrogant, but it wouldn’t help us to take notice of all that – it wasn’t anything we did wrong.”

The Springboks will open their Rugby World Cup campaign on Sunday against Scotland in Marseille. This game will kick-off at 17:45.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport