Etzebeth growing as Bok captain
DURBAN: He is a bit like a firecracker with a short fuse, waiting for the smallest spark to set him off, but this is why the South African public loves Eben Etzebeth. However, when he was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Mr Cool himself, Warren Whiteley, many were worried.
Etzebeth has always been a fiery character, and with the retirement of the legendary, no-nonsense Bakkies Botha, South African rugby was crying out for an explosive hardman. Up stepped a then, still scarily young, 21-year-old Etzebeth.
He was applauded for his ferocity, aggression and his devastation with, or without, ball in hand. However, it does come with the territory that a man with these qualities may find himself on the wrong end of a referee who is less keen to see opposition bashed and bruised. Yellow cards and stern warnings have always been a part of Etzebeth’s rugby career – and again, as fans, it was acceptable and just par for the course. But, and it is a big one, as a captain of the Springboks, can you really afford to be sinbinned?
The Stormers lock made his captaincy debut in the final game between France and the Boks, but by then all the fire had left the series as the French looked more keen to get home than to confront the notoriously hot-headed Etzebeth. In fact, he grabbed a try rather than getting involved in a fight in the third Test.
Etzebeth continued his perfect run as a winning Springbok captain last week, in Port Elizabeth, as the Boks defeated Argentina in their first Rugby Championship match. More importantly however for the stand-in captain, he did not lose his cool, when there was every chance to. It all started with the team sheets as Etzebeth would be lining up against Tomas Lavanini, the Pumas lock who has had a few close encounters with the Bok hardman in recent times.
However, there was no clashing from Etzebeth as he focused on his core duties as a lock, rather than a brawler for the Boks. An additional test for the stand-in captain was dealing with French referee Romain Poite whose decisions and reasoning have often left many captains blue in the face and ultimately frustrated.
Poite was at his confusing best on Saturday, denying the Boks a first try when the Pumas knocked the ball out of Courtnall Skosan’s hands, backwards, only for Jan Serfontein to latch on. Poite ruled a knock on, and did not even entertain the thought of checking with the TMO – and Etzebeth accepted this, calmly.
Salta now looms large for the Boks, with a partisan crowd. More of the same has to be expected from Etzebeth if he is to help add depth to the leadership group of a young Bok side.
Additionally, he needs to truly justify his elevation as captain above his own franchise captain Siya Kolisi. There was a real opportunity for Allister Coetzee to name a black Springbok captain in the form of a very in-form Kolisi.
Kolisi led Etzebeth in Super Rugby and that sort of belief in making him captain seems partly to be a reason for his revival in the Bok jersey. Kolisi is the vice captain, and again is playing a role in strengthening the leadership depth for the Boks, but he does deserve a chance to wear the captain’s armband.
Of course, Etzebeth has done nothing wrong, and perhaps is becoming a better player with the weight of leadership on his shoulders, so there would be no reason for Coetzee to change things up in Whiteley’s absence.
However, Etzebeth needs to excel rather than coast in his role as captain, and a few more composed, but controlled aggressive showings in hostile territories such as Salta will indeed vindicate the choice of making the fiery lock a Bok captain.