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Second row injury jinx strikes the Springboks again as Eben Etzebeth becomes their latest lock to be ruled out for 'many weeks'
By Chris Jones
South Africa's second row injury jinx has struck again with World Cup-winning Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth reportedly sidelined for many weeks after an operation on a finger injury suffered in training last week. The 29-year-old last played for the French club in their Top 14 defeat away to Lyon on March 27, the week before their cancelled match at Leinster resulted in their elimination from the Heineken Champions Cup.
However, club training since that cancellation has resulted in Etzebeth joining fellow World Cup winners Lood de Jager and RG Snyman on the injured list with the countdown on towards next July's three-match Test series between the Springboks and the Lions in South Africa.
"Eben Etzebeth has undergone surgery in the last few days," said Toulon in a statement where they added that another lock, Matthias Halagahu, also faces a spell on the sidelines with a shoulder issue. "The two Toulon second-rows will be absent for many weeks."
It means that Etzebeth and de Jager have now become major worries for the Springboks who have not played a Test match due to the Covid-19 pandemic since defeating England in the November 2019 World Cup final in Yokohama.
South Africa's three leading locks all headed to Europe on lucrative contracts but injury has also hit the trio. De Jager has been particularly badly hit having to undergo a third shoulder operation and he is now recovering from a broken leg/knee surgery.
The latest operations were carried out last week in a bid to help the Sale forward get back into action in time in the Gallagher Premiership to prove his fitness for the series with Lions. There has been better news recently, though, about fellow Springboks lock Snyman.
Munster boss Johann van Graan revealed the giant lock might feature for the province in the upcoming Rainbow Cup competition. Snyman is currently working his way back to fitness after suffering an ACL injury just seven minutes into his Munster debut against Leinster at Aviva Stadium in August.
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Latest Comments
A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!
The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.
Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)
I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.
This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).
This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.
Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!
Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍
Go to commentsWouldn’t mind seeing that grounding in slow mo there. Too much to ask?
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