Africa-Press – South-Africa. Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has allayed fears around his fitness ahead of the international season as the double Rugby World Cup-winner looks forward to adding to his South African record 131 caps in a busy year for the national side.
The 33-year-old has been one of the Springboks’ most influential players in the last decade and a key element of their back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023, but is coming off a club season with the Durban-based Sharks plagued by injury.
“I didn’t have such a good run at the Sharks with injury and concussion that kept me out for about four-and-a-half months,” Etzebeth said on Wednesday.
“It wasn’t ideal, but I recovered and got a few games towards the back-end of the season. I just suffered a small setback in training just before the [United Rugby Championship] semifinal.
“That was just a minor one and I’m very comfortable for the Springbok season ahead.”
Etzebeth is an enforcer in the Springboks pack, with his ability at line-outs, powerful carries and organisation in defence.
Far from looking at this past season as a wasted one, he suggests the time on the sidelines will leave him fresher for Tests against Italy [two] and Georgia next month, and South Africa’s Rugby Championship title defence.
“It’s not ideal that I didn’t play as much as I wanted to, but at the end of the day your body is resting up a bit,” he said.
“We play week in and week out and the guys who aren’t injured get bruised and battered. I’m a bit fresher. The body is feeling good.”
South African players arguably play more rugby than ever before with their involvement in the United Rugby Championship and European club competitions.
The Springboks also have 14 matches lined up this year, starting with a non-cap clash against the Barbarians in Cape Town on June 28.
“It’s a big topic in South African rugby about our squads [size],” Etzebeth admitted. “There is the Currie Cup, URC, Champions Cup. Do we have enough players in our squads?
“That’s for the coaches to decide and I don’t think they’re too happy, but it’s out of my [control].”
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
