Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile says Springbok rugby coach Peter de Villiers should watch his mouth.

The report said Stofile labelled De Villiers as a man who liked to talk and blamed the SA Rugby Union (Saru) for the bizarre comments made by the Springbok coach.

"They appointed him as a coach and not as a spokesperson. "Now he is being left to the mercy of the media."

Stofile said De Villiers is a "nice young man but he likes to talk. It could mean that he is not judged on his achievements on the rugby field but on his achievements with his mouth".

His comments came after De Villiers refused to condemn South African flanker Schalk Burger after he was yellow carded for gouging the eyes of Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in the second test of the Lions tour.

De Villiers then appeared to condone the act as part of rugby. Burger received an eight-week ban after the game, while the Bok coach contended he had not even deserved to be sin-binned.

Stofile also criticised the Bok team for their decision to wear protest armbands during last Saturday's final test against the British and Irish Lions.

This was in reaction to the suspension of lock Bakkies Botha. Botha was banned for a dangerous charge on Lions prop Adam Jones in the second test.

The report quoted Stofile as saying that kind of reaction would make South Africa look like cry-babies in the eyes of the international community.

The website said the minister said rather than react, the Boks should have left Saru to handle the matter.

In its response, Saru said it hoped that De Villiers would improve after SA Rugby boss Oregan Hoskins had spoken to him.

Regarding De Villiers' regular use of Biblical references, Stofile, who is also a preacher, said the Springbok coach was from the Boland and was raised in a God-fearing family.

"His own family is very religious. His own quotations from the Word are used as his guide and are therefore appropriate, " Stofile said in De Villier's defence.