Vile abuse directed at Springboks & their families

Eben Etzebeth has called out the vile abuse that has been directed at Springbok players and their families following their defeat in New Zealand.

Returning to South Africa following a 57-0 trashing in Albany, the Springbok Captain was furious at some of the vitriol being directed towards friends and family of the squad.

"I can understand people being upset with us. They're allowed to be, but keep our families out of it," Etzebeth told Netwerk24.com.

"There are some terrible people out there, saying some nasty things to our wives and girlfriends, and that's not nice to hear."

In a culture where everyone can have their say, the dregs of society often rear their ugly head when things go awry.

Etzebeth appreciated where the negativity has come from, but promised that it was not down to a lack of effort.

"But, yes, there were plenty of people that were extremely negative. We understand that, but we always give our all"

The Springboks will have to wait another ten days until they can put their frustration to good use, when they host Australia in Bloemfontein.