Rassie Erasmus has taken to social media to hit out ex-Scotland coach Matt Williams over his comments about Steven Kitshoff and the Bomb Squad.

Williams has repeatedly criticised the tactic of loading the bench with forwards as he believes that it is a safety risk and “discriminates against backline players”.

The Springboks made the tactic particularly popular in 2019 with a 6-2 split helping them with the Rugby World Cup before taking it a step further with a 7-1 four years later to defend their title.

France have since adopted the 7-1 tactic using it thrice en route to winning the 2025 Six Nations and while Williams admits it is effective, he still believes that dangerous for the players.

Williams’ latest Bomb Squad criticism

He states that he will ‘not shut up’ about it despite World Rugby confirming that they have no plans to outlaw or adjust the laws concerning the bench as their research hadn’t found any evidence to suggest it made the sport more dangerous.

“I admire the intellectual thinking of this as a coach, I do not have a problem with the coaches, this is not a problem about selection or why they’re doing it,” he told DSPN with Martin Devlin.

“I get it, it works. France against Ireland [in the Six Nations], it absolutely works, but what does that do to our game?”

He added: “I’m going to cop an earful off everyone, I’m prepared to do that otherwise I would be walking away from an old mate’s legacy.”

Kitshoff speculation

However, it was what he had to say about Kitshoff that caught Erasmus’ attention and prompted a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Williams speculated that Kitshoff’s injury was a result of the tactics and the Springboks’ intensity of scrummaging.

The 83-Test cap prop announced his retirement from rugby earlier this year after suffering a neck injury that was “two millimetres” away from taking his life.

“We know about brain injuries, what is it doing for brain injuries by bringing fresh guys off the bench? What’s it doing to the guys spines when it’s being compacted unbelievably for 80 minutes?” he continued.

“What about Kitshoff, what happened to his spine in South Africa? Do we know if that is as a result of the scrummaging they are put through?”

Erasmus’ posted a screenshot of Williams’ quotes with the caption: “Nee wat [no what] !! How can a 6/2 or 7/1 split contribute to Kitchie’s injury? “Do we know” No you dont.”

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Kitshoff sustained the injury while on duty for Western Province last year when he was working his way back to full fitness following a knee injury.

He came off the bench for Western Province in the match before sustaining the injury in a scrum.

Kitshoff’s take on the Bomb Squad

Recently, Kitshoff appeared on Erasmus’ podcast Rassie+ where he discussed his injury and the formation of the Bomb Squad.

During the episode, the Boks head coach asked the prop whether he believed the tactic actually extends a player’s career.

“Don’t you think that the way we did it, I know it was 83 Test matches, but doesn’t it prolong a guy’s career?” Erasmus said.

“One guy doesn’t play 70 minutes and the other only 10 minutes, even when he is almost as good.

“A lot of people like to criticise it but surely it has helped you?”

Kitshoff replied: “100%, you give everything for 35 or 40 minutes and those extra minutes almost saves your body for the next week.

“Then you are fresher for Monday and Tuesday and you get through the week like that.”

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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/rassie-erasmus-slams-matt-williams-after-steven-kitshoffs-injury-and-bomb-squad-take