The Springboks have condemned the death threat sent to their scrum-half Cobus Reinach, saying: “We don’t have a place for hooligans in our game.” The former Northampton scrum-half, who now plays for Montpellier, was targeted on social media after South Africa’s quarter-final victory over France with the assistant coach Mzwandile Stick revealing that the French authorities are looking into the matter.
Reinach started last Sunday’s match against France and keeps his place for Saturday’s semi-final against England despite the abuse, which was highlighted by the South Africa director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus. The message sent to Reinach, translated from French, read: “Dirty son of a bitch. I hope that when you return to Montpellier you get murdered by French people on the ground. Gang of thieves. Easy to win a title by cheating.”
