Matfield: Why Etzebeth is the best ever

If Victor Matfield is to be believed, and as a former lock we have to take his word for it, Eben Etzebeth is the best lock the world has ever seen.

That being said, the Springbok opted for his teammate Bakkies Botha as his lock partner when he named his best South African XV.

He did heap loads of praise on Etzebeth, who even made the highly rated Maro Itoje ‘hide away’ in a Lions Test match.

However, the combo of Bakkies and Matfield is legendary.

The Springbok, the most capped of all time with 127 Test matches under the belt, appeared on the latest episode of RugbyPass Offload and was asked to name his best-ever Springboks team, a challenge that proved awkward.

“It’s not easy,” he said.

Matfields’ comments on Etzebeth are huge, considering some of the big name locks that have come and gone. Cast your mind back for a moment to players like Colin Meads, Paul O’Connell or Martin Johnson to name a few.

Here’s what Matfield had to say about the current enforcer of Springbok rugby.

“In the second row, do I have to pick myself? You said I have to be in there. I need to go with a combo with myself and Bakkies (Botha) – although I think that Eben Etzebeth is probably the best lock that the world has ever seen. He has got the physicality of a Bakkies Botha.

“If he is on the field no one will get in his face. Everyone takes a step back. Everyone talks about Maro Itoje, the Lions Test match, he started hiding because he couldn’t stand up to Etzebeth. If a kick goes up, he is the first guy going up to catch that ball and he is just all over.

“He has got an engine that you can’t believe. He can’t call lineouts but his athletic ability to get in the air is just unbelievable. But Bakkies playing with me, the way we just worked together – I’ll go with Bakkies with myself.”

But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s take a look at the team Matfield has put together, starting with the big men up front.

“It’s touch and go between Os du Randt and the Beast [Tendai Mtawarira] but just because I played more games with him I have to go with Os du Randt. Hooker, same thing. John Smit, my captain. Bismarck du Plessis is the best hooker I played with but all the best things I won, John Smit was there so I am going to go with John at No2.

“At tighthead, I am going to go with a guy that I didn’t play that many games with, but I just think he is unbelievable. I played in 2015 with him, Frans Malherbe, and he is still winning games for South Africa week in, week out.

“Open side I am going with Heinrich Brussow. He was a match changer for us when he came in. We always played with Schalk Burger at openside. Jake (White) didn’t believe in a real fetcher in the game but when Heinrich Brussow came in 2009, he just changed the way we played and we were much better with him at openside.

“Blindside flanker I am going with Juan Smith. He played for us in the World Cup and was just a guy that never stopped, was in your face the whole time just coming on defence, on attack and I mean at the lineout time he was very good as well.

“And No8, Pierre Spies was unbelievable, but you need to have Schalk Burger in your team so if I don’t pick Schalk Burger at openside, I am picking Schalk at eight. He developed into that player in his career as well.

“In the beginning of his career, he just wanted to smash everything and everyone. At the end of his career, he just had that skill of being that first receiver, playing options in front, behind and he just had a beautiful skill set but he still had an engine. So Schalk is at eight.

“At nine, Fourie du Preez, the best player I played with my whole life against and with. Just an unbelievable player, so that is an easy choice. Also, my vice-captain if I am the captain. We won a lot of trophies.

“Ten is difficult for me. Butch (James) was unbelievable but I am going with a youngster I coached before I played with him and then I played with him at the 2015 World Cup. He is probably not your natural fly-half but he knows how to win games and he is just such a tough guy, so Handre Pollard at 10 although I just played one or two seasons with him.

“Centres? Thirteen is easy, Jaque Fourie, the best 13 I played with by far. Twelve is difficult. Jean de Villiers, Frans Steyn but I will go with Jean de Villiers because I played with him for a very long time.

“Frans is an unbelievable player as well. He can slot in there any time and he came in 2007 when Jean was injured and we won that World Cup, so Jean and Jaque are the centres.

“The wingers are easy, Bryan Habana on the left and JP Pietersen on the right. Two legends, guys who can finish. Everyone knows about Bryan, but I think JP was very underrated, but he finished every time he got an opportunity. He was solid in defence and so good under the high ball.

“And then at 15, Mr Consistency, Percy Montgomery. And we need those blonde locks in the team as well just for team spirit.”

Source: @RugbyPass

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