Spotlight on Etzebeth: Ready to erase dark shadow of 2017
SPOTLIGHT: Eben Etzebeth has a major score to settle when he leads the Springboks for the 12th time in his international career – against the All Blacks in a Rugby Championship Round Two encounter in Auckland on Saturday.
He has an unenviable record as captain, having presided over the Springboks’ record 0-57 loss to the All Blacks back in 2017.
The towering lock has been on the winning side as Springbok captain five times, but none of those victories have been against the All Blacks.
During his time as Springbok captain in 2017, South Africa lost four times – while there were also two draws.
The humbling 57-point hammering on September 16, 2017, in the North Harbour Stadium was a dark day in Bok history.
It is one that Etzebeth would probably like to rectify with a solid victory this weekend.
The intimidating-looking Etzebeth made a name for himself as a hard-hitting man who will fight absolutely anyone, even the referee, and earned him a reputation as an ‘enforcer’.
He was only 25 when he became Springbok captain.
Now, at 31, he is older and wiser and leading a team that just thrashed Australia at Loftus Versfeld.
Etzebeth, coming back from a shoulder injury he sustained in April while on duty with the Sharks against Munster in the Champions Cup, will be out to prove that the bad reputation he has acquired for himself over the years is something of the past.
His first outing as Springbok captain (skipper No.59) came in June 2017 – after Warren Whiteley was ruled out due to an untimely injury in the second Test against France at Ellis Park.
It was a role he would maintain until the end of that season.
Despite, perhaps, not being a natural-born leader, the Bok enforcer did a fine job in a particularly challenging time for the Bok game.
He has since had stints with the Red Hurricanes in Japan and Toulon in France, before deciding to further his career with the Sharks in Durban.
(What Lodewyk de Jager said about his lock partner Etzebeth as captain …)
In 2019 the Boks followed up their Rugby Championship title by claiming the World Cup later that year, as Etzebeth claimed his first major pieces of silverware with the national side.
During the 2021 British and Irish Lions series, and after tasting defeat in the first Test, the Springboks bounced back to win a COVID-disrupted series 2-1.
Etzebeth was colossal during the tour and carried on his impressive form throughout the remainder of the year.
Despite not a single South African being nominated, he was many pundits’ pick for World Player of the Year.
At the of 30, Etzebeth became the youngest player to achieve a century of Test matches for South Africa – against Wales in Cape Town last year – he capped the occasion by scooping the Man of the Match award in the 30-14 victory.
It was no surprise when he was voted South Africa’s Player of the Year for 2022 following a string of excellent performances by the experienced lock.
There is no doubt that the Springbok chapter in Etzebeth’s book is not done yet.
He has been a Springbok stalwart for more than a decade, and he just keeps getting better with age, playing with maturity and providing valuable leadership to the Springboks.
