Boks rocked by 'death threats'

REACTION: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus reacted with contempt to death threats issued to one of his players.

French-based scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who plays for Montpellier in the Top 14 and European Cup, received abuse and death threats on social media after the Springboks beat hosts France 29-28 in the World Cup quarterfinal in Paris last Sunday.

The user by the name of Ewen (ew3n_db9) not only accused the Boks of 'cheating' (gang of thieves), but also suggested he should be 'murdered by people in Montpellier.

Erasmus dismissed the notion of the notion of cheating outright.

"Unfortunately these threats were made to Cobus Reinach," he said in reaction to the post.

"It's not nice and upsets his mom to see things like that said about her boy!

"But we are not going to whine, we will just move on!"

Reinach is starting at scrumhalf for the Springboks in their World Cup semifinal encounter with England at the same Stade de France on Saturday.