Rassie's biting response to All Black chirp

REACTION: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is back in his happy space on social media - responding as forceful and quirky as only he can.

Erasmus had a stinging response to All Black coach Ian Foster's snipe at the Springboks and Ireland, following the epic 13-8 win by the men from the Emerald Isle in a crucial Pool B match last week.

The All Blacks boosted their World Cup quarterfinal hopes after they demolished a hapless and hopelessly outclassed Italy in Lyon this past Friday.

They scored 14 tries in a 96-17 demolition job on an Azzurri team that seemed to give up trying after the Kiwis went 28-0 up by the end of the first quarter.

"If you look at the South Africa-Ireland game, it was a different game of rugby," was Foster's barbed response after his team's emphatic win.

"The ball was in play for 27 minutes throughout the whole game.

"It was a very stop-start game, very physical, very combative.

"You saw a different spectacle tonight [Friday] and at some point the world has got to decide which game it would rather watch."

However, Erasmus was having none of that.

He responded in his usual sardonic manner.

"Ian [is] always a straight shooter and say it as it is!" the SARU boss said.

"[I] have respect for him since he coached the Chiefs.

"But I think two minutes more ball in play and an epic battle between Ireland and the Boks is the game I would rather watch!

"While saying that, your boys were crisp and clinical," Erasmus concluded his response to Foster.

Erasmus included two statistical graphics in his post, highlighting the one-sided nature of New Zealand's victory over Italy, compared to the closely-fought battle between the Boks and Ireland.