Record-breaking Springbok Eben Etzebeth seeks another major trophy
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South Africa's Eben Etzebeth in action at a line-out during the Springboks' Rugby Championship win over New Zealand.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MBOMBELA – Eben Etzebeth will seek to write another chapter in an already storied career when he takes the field for the Springboks in their Rugby Championship title decider against Argentina at Mbombela Stadium on Sept 28.
The towering forward will become South Africa’s most-capped rugby Test player with his 128th appearance, overtaking fellow lock Victor Matfield, who retired in 2015.
The 32-year-old will hope to finish his record-breaking day by holding aloft the Rugby Championship trophy, which South Africa will secure unless Argentina can win with a bonus point and prevent the Springboks from earning a point.
Etzebeth has already been in two Rugby World Cup-winning teams – in 2019 in Japan and 2023 in France – and part of a victorious team against the visiting British and Irish Lions in 2021.
He was a member of a team who won a shortened Rugby Championship in 2019, but South Africa have yet to come out on top in a full six-match programme since the Southern Hemisphere championship was expanded to four teams with the inclusion of Argentina in 2012.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the team wanted to make the Sept 28 match “a special day” for Etzebeth.
“If we can win the title and finish the competition off with a victory, it would be a massive occasion for the team and Eben as an individual,” said Erasmus.
Matfield led a chorus of praise for the 2.04m giant, highlighting Etzebeth’s “athleticism and physicality”.
“I really believe he’s the right-hand man of (captain) Siya (Kolisi). In the huddles, especially when they are under pressure, he’s the guy talking – not just talking, but leading from the front,” said Matfield in a SuperSport TV discussion.
Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett said Etzebeth combined the best qualities of Matfield and Bakkies Botha, the other lock in a highly acclaimed pairing who anchored the Springbok scrum when South Africa won the 2007 World Cup in France.
Said Mallett: “He’s got Victor’s athleticism, really good balls skills and a feel for the game. He’s got speed and he’s got (Botha’s) physicality in the ball carries and in the areas of the line-outs. He’s a nightmare to play against.”
Etzebeth made his debut for South Africa against England in June 2012 aged 20.
He has played a key role for the Springboks in a season in which he and newcomer Ruan Nortje have had a heavy workload in the absence of several leading locks, including World Cup winners Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Jean Kleyn and R.G. Snyman.
Nortje and Etzebeth have dominated line-outs in the 2024 Rugby Championship, leading the competitions’ line-out wins with 29 and 22 takes respectively.
Meanwhile, Argentina have made eight changes to their starting line-up, including the selection of the assured boot of Santiago Carreras at fullback.
Aside from Carreras, who will add some prowess off the tee after fly-half Tomas Albornoz missed some kicks on Sept 21, Rodrigo Isgro comes in on the wing, Matias Moroni at outside centre and Gonzalo Garcia at scrum-half.
There will be a new second row of the scrum as Pedro Rubiolo and Tomas Lavanini are at lock, while flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez replaces Pablo Matera in a surprise move as the latter drops to the bench.
Santiago Grondona is also in the team on the side of the scrum as a replacement for the injured Marcos Kremer. AFP, REUTERS
