Willie le Roux hits back at Springboks critics who have been ‘cooking me since 2015’
Willie le Roux in action for the Bulls and Springboks.
Springboks full-back Willie le Roux has hit back following a dig from a fan after his Bulls side kickstarted their season with a victory over the Lions on Saturday.
Johan Ackermann’s men have struggled so far this campaign but finally showed what they could do with a 52-17 triumph in Johannesburg.
It secured just their fifth victory of the United Rugby Championship season and moved them up to seventh place in the table.
First choice Bulls full-back
That win also came without Le Roux in the team, a rare sight for Bulls fans with the Springboks great generally the preferred option at 15.
Devon Williams started the weekend’s game at full-back and that prompted one supporter, RhymesWithRuck, to claim the Pretoria outfit would be better without the South African Test centurion in the 23.
“Amazing how much better the Bulls look without Willie le Roux, and with Papier + Pollard finally trusted to kick in their own half. Whole team looks transformed,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
That message was seen by Le Roux, who sarcastically responded: “Cheers tjom (buddy) have a lekker weekend.”
That duly began a back and forth with the fan posting a now-deleted reply, which led to the 36-year-old hitting back.
“Thanks for this info again brother. Message the guys in the bulls team and ask them if I am good for the team environment please I would also like to know,” Le Roux wrote.
The supporter told the double Rugby World Cup winner that he would “love for you to prove me wrong. I think you too”, but Le Roux would not let it rest.
“Pal, I don’t have to prove anything to you. Ask the guys on the team and then you will know, buddy. Enjoy your brandy and the comfy couch that you are sitting on to watch rugby,” he added.
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‘Cooking me since 2015’
Another fan then chimed in with a funny quip to defuse the situation, writing: “Where were you when Twitter was cooking me against you playing at Eden Park?!”
Le Roux responded: “Sorry my bra weekly I have them cooking me since 2015,” noting the amount of criticism he has received from the Springboks faithful, before adding: “So sorry I couldn’t back you on that particular evening have a lekker weekend.”
The playmaker earned his 100th Test cap last year and has been a key part of two successful Rugby World Cup campaigns in 2019 and 2023, but he has still received plenty of flak from the South African fans.
As the weekend showed, he failed to escape it when he wasn’t even playing and it duly provoked a response from the experienced full-back.
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