Etzebeth reflects on injury-riddled season and gearing up for Boks

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has opened up about his struggles with injuries this season and how he tried to remain positive to get back into shape for the Test season.

Etzebeth, South Africa’s most capped Springbok of all time, is more than just brute force for the national team.

It is his game intelligence, determination, and the ability to inspire those around him.

The 33-year-old lock is a player who always leads by example, making him an irreplaceable asset.

In June, the Sharks were dealt a massive blow on the eve of their United Rugby Championship semifinal with the Bulls, with the news that he had to withdraw due to injury.

The behemoth lock captained the Sharks to victory during an enthralling penalty shootout victory over Munster in their quarterfinal in Durban the week before.

It is no secret that Etzebeth has struggled with a number of problems since the end of 2024, starting with a head injury he suffered against Exeter Chiefs in December.

That kept him on the sidelines for several months as his concussion symptoms persisted, before a hamstring strain delayed his comeback.

He was eventually named to make his comeback against Edinburgh during the league phase of the URC, but illness forced him to miss the Sharks’ match against Ulster.

He then made his return to action against the Ospreys early in May but was forced off the field in the first half of that encounter with a knee injury, which did not prove to be serious.

Looking fit and healthy again, Etzebeth faced reporters at the Springboks’ hotel in Hyde Park on Wednesday with the news that he is well rested and looking forward to the Springbok Test matches ahead.

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“I’ve recovered from everything; it’s all in the past,” Etzebeth said.

“I didn’t have a good run with the Sharks with an injury and a concussion that kept me out for about four and a half months.

“It wasn’t ideal, but I recovered and got a few games with the Sharks at the back-end of the season.

“And then suffered a small setback at training just before the semifinal, which is a minor one.

“But [I am] back in training and excited for the Springbok season ahead,” Etzebeth said firmly, adding: “You can look at it in two ways – either negative or positive.

“I try to look at things in life positively.

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“Yes, it’s not ideal that I didn’t play as much rugby for the Sharks as I wanted to this season.

“But at the end of the day, the body is resting up a bit. We play week in and week out, the guys that aren’t injured.

“You get bruised up, you get battered. You haven’t recovered on a Tuesday after a game.

“You get time off [when you are injured] with the family, but it’s not like you go away and do nothing.

“You do rehab, you for example work on a shoulder that’s been niggling in the past, you get that back to full strength.

“Your whole body can recover nicely. You can get strong again for when you play again.

“So it’s negative, I’m not playing, I’m not on the field, not maybe match sharp. But there are lots of positives, like family time and getting your body strong again.”