Colossal impact
20 Nov 2012
Eben Etzebeth had an outstanding first season of professional rugby.
In 2011, Etzebeth played for the University of Cape Town in the Varsity Cup. In 2012, he became a Springbok regular.
The second rower, who turned 21 on 29 October, was a deserved winner of the SA Young Player of the Year award. A product of the WP Rugby Institute, he had no problem making the step up to Super Rugby in February and his selection for the Springboks in June, for the Test series against England, was a no-brainer.
Etzebeth has inevitably drawn comparisons with former Bok lock Bakkies Botha, as both perform an enforcer-type role, but the Stormers lock has a calmness and measured aggression that Botha did not have at the same age.
It’s scary to think how good he could become.
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In the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, Saru high performance manager Rassie Erasmus explains why the Botha comparison makes him ‘uncomfortable’, what makes Etzebeth such an imposing player and why he doesn’t believe the youngster will stagnate.
Heyneke Meyer talks about what he likes about Etzebeth, the one thing that worries him about him, and why he came down hard on him following the Nathan Sharpe headbutt.
SA Rugby magazine also asks Etzebeth about his rookie season, the Botha comparison, the Sharpe headbutt, his Test preparations and his toughest opponent.
Also in the new issue:
– Pat Lambie insists he has not been frustrated during his time with the Springboks this year and is happy to play flyhalf or fullback
– The Springbok goal-kickers had failed to transfer their success on the training field to the high-pressure Test arena going into the end-of-year tour
– Central contracts: Why South Africa’s top players must be contracted to Saru and not to their provincial unions
– The Blitzboks made a promising start to the new sevens season
– Former Sharks scrumhalf Rory Kockott has let his rugby do the talking at French club Castres
– Jaque Fourie aims to resurrect his Springbok career in 2015 once he’s fulfilled his Japanese club obligations
– Former Springbok captain John Smit has a new lease on life since moving to Saracens
– Josh Strauss on his move to Glasgow, the possibility of playing for Scotland, and the Lions’ relegation from Super Rugby
– How Western Province beat the odds to win their first Currie Cup in 11 years
– How Alan Solomons revived Eastern Province rugby
– A band of rugby missionaries wants to grow rugby in Africa
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217 Comments
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20 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
SweetbabyJesus.
Pine Pienaar?
Our defense in the Currie Cup was about as effective as the accounting department of a Limpopo municipality.
This won’t end well.
20 Nov 2012, 11:58 am
@Transformation-150: come on, tell the whole story.
Byrne, who was part of Sir Graham Henry’s World Cup winning formula, picks up his old position of “specialist skills coach”.
Australian Byrne is a former Aussie Rules player who has worked extensively on the All Blacks’ kicking game and aerial skills.
20 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
@Transformation-150: “how would we define a guy like this one?”
Would absolutelyfuckingessential do it?
20 Nov 2012, 12:01 pm
@trupisero-149: Ha ha, just another day in Menlyn Centre…
20 Nov 2012, 12:02 pm
@gunther-151: Hey, don’t knock Pine. Who needs Walnut and Figured Maple when Pine gets the job done at a fraction of the cost. Just add some Steyn and no one will even know.
20 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
@katman-155:
He can get knotted.
20 Nov 2012, 12:06 pm
@katman-155: Pine is die kakste coach wat ons in n lang tyd gehad het. Wonder self nog hoe de donner hy hom in Loftus gange ingekry het.
20 Nov 2012, 12:07 pm
@gunther-156: Or as the old tea lady at my previous work used to say, naughty pine.
20 Nov 2012, 12:08 pm
@gunther-156: yip, barking up the wrong tree
20 Nov 2012, 12:10 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-157: Heyneke brouhgt him in. He was part of Meyer’s new plan for the Bulls at the time?
20 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@trupisero-159:
Indeed he’s a veneer of a rugby coach.
20 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-160: That’s the mythical “ball in hand” approach is it not?
20 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-160: Kak plan as jy my vra. We snuck a semi final by the width of a pubic hair and there are those who reckon we did’nt do to badly but looking at the season as a whole……….ouch not good.
20 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm
@gunther-161: I saw straight through him.
20 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm
@gunther-161: I don’t know. He always came across as a bit of a plank to me.
20 Nov 2012, 12:15 pm
@trupisero-164: Ha ha, you nailed that one.
20 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
Bulls going nowhere in any kind of hurry.. momentous implosion is on the cards.. this family tree constructed mega buck bonanza brand rotational policy of theirs is about to fold like a cheap pack of tarot cards.
20 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@katman-166: Ja, I can see the wood for the trees
20 Nov 2012, 12:22 pm
So when will we know if Eben can play saturday ?
20 Nov 2012, 12:22 pm
@trupisero-162: @KWAGGA ROBERTSE-163: Indeed. I expect Transie will have the article penned at the time. I know Meyer brought Pine in, at about the same time he ditched the group of players he felt were ‘surplus to requirements, and wouldn’t fit into his new vision for the Bulls’ Some of these players included, Marnus Schoeman and co.
JJ, Sadie and the 100′s of school boy and Baby Bok players were also contracted at the same time.
Then Meyerfuckedoff.
20 Nov 2012, 12:25 pm
@katman-165:
I think he just likes to go against the grain.
20 Nov 2012, 12:34 pm
Like Ebony & Ivory?
20 Nov 2012, 12:38 pm
South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been cited for making contact with the “eye or eye area” of Scotland flyhalf Greig Laidlaw, the International Rugby Board announced Monday.
The alleged incident occurred 14 minutes into the second half of the Springboks’ 21-10 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
He was cited by Alan Mansell of England.
Etzebeth, 21, will appear before an IRB disciplinary hearing on Tuesday and if found guilty faces a lengthy ban – which could include the Springboks’ Test against England at Twickenham this coming Saturday.
He will appear under Law 10.4(m): Acts contrary to good sportsmanship. A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure.
The IRB’s recommended sanctions for an player found guilty of ‘eye-gouging’ range from a low entry point of 12 weeks to a high entry point of 24 weeks, with a maximum possible ban of three years.
It is not the first time that the fiery lock has landed in hot water this year.
He was handed a two-match ban during the Rugby Championship this year for ‘head-butting’ Wallaby lock Nathan Sharpe.
* Meanwhile, in a separate incident, Argentina prop Juan Figallo has been cited for head-butting France captain Pascal Pape at the finish of the Pumas’ 39-22 defeat in Lille on Saturday.
Figallo, who was cited by Mike Rafter of England, was cited for an incident at the end of the first half.
Hiss hearing is listed for Wednesday, with Argentina playing Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Figallo will be charged under Law 10.4(a): Punching or striking. A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knee(s).
20 Nov 2012, 12:39 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-163: Pine was suppose to bring a fresh flavour to the Bulls
20 Nov 2012, 12:40 pm
And the Samoan who almost decapitated a Welshman is all good?
Go figure
20 Nov 2012, 12:40 pm
@capebull-173: No citing for the Samoan forward who took out the Welsh flyhalf with a flying shoulder charge “ruck clean”? Funny that.
20 Nov 2012, 12:41 pm
@nortierd-175: snap.
20 Nov 2012, 12:43 pm
@katman-176: Yes I saw that it was bad , I can’t even remember Eben being in a incident, time for SARU to stand up for their players
20 Nov 2012, 12:54 pm
@katman-176:
Yeah saw it, seemed to be a hard clear out to me.
The welsh said it was legal, so i dont know. Seen many clear outs like that before.
20 Nov 2012, 12:54 pm
@capebull-173:
Just another in a long long line of Springbok Gougers.
20 Nov 2012, 13:01 pm
@capebull-173: They should ask Laidlaw’s opinion as well IMO. The play did not stop – i.e Laidlaw did not complain about the incident nor did he receive medical attention for the alleged “gouging”.
20 Nov 2012, 13:09 pm
@CharlesM-181:
Well they asked the Scottish guy that was rucked in the head by thompson and he said it was nothing at all. We all saw thompsons ruck of the head and we all can see Etzebeth hands all over the face and eyes of the Scotsman, but no hard proof of a gouge, just proof of a very reckless person that needs to wake the *** up before he gets stung with a dirty player badge
20 Nov 2012, 13:11 pm
@cane-180:
Knew you would jump on that one.
Looking forward to the Welsh game. I win for the Dragons will make my rugby year.
20 Nov 2012, 13:14 pm
And who has a replay of the try that the boks got when it was a maul?
Now just an observation here, when the maul was going, watch Vermeulen join the maul,in front of the ball and take players out. Is this allowed at all?
To me it looks illegal, joining a maul in front of the ball and taking player out. Just an observation, hoping someone on here can explain as the maul to me looks very messy.
20 Nov 2012, 13:16 pm
@katman-177: What time is this joke of a hearing?
Ps I see skopkop is nowhere to be found……that moonshine must have really floored him
20 Nov 2012, 13:16 pm
@Hurricane-184: I recon the refs are so busy watching the defenders they don;t even see what the attacking side is doing
20 Nov 2012, 13:17 pm
@Hurricane-179: Like when Bakkies cleaned out Jones?
20 Nov 2012, 13:18 pm
@Atreides-185: skops right here discussing rugby on the other thread.. waiting to give arseholes like you the poesklap you so thoroughly deserve… stupid little punk thinking its clever just like your little fckface bumchum.
20 Nov 2012, 13:19 pm
@Hurricane-184: maybe he thought the chickenshit strategy of the Scots not to front uo to the maul was a ****** idea?
Even Strauss’ 2nd try looked a bit dodgy to be fair.
20 Nov 2012, 13:22 pm
@skopdiekan-188: yea well i’m not some unarmed ovambo villager in the caprivi tough guy, i might just give you the poesklapofalifetime
20 Nov 2012, 13:22 pm
There goes the fcken neighbourhood.
20 Nov 2012, 13:24 pm
@Atreides-190:
That’s heavy buddy.
20 Nov 2012, 13:26 pm
@Atreides-190: you need to get fck’d up for your own sake fuckwit.. you and your katmankunt little arswipe in tandem both
20 Nov 2012, 13:27 pm
@trupisero-189: Both tries should have been awarded…in both instances contact was made to set the maul…cannot make contact and then pull out to claim the truck and trailer….
20 Nov 2012, 13:29 pm
@Hurricane-184:
This mauling thing is an atrocity. They should ban it from rugby.
20 Nov 2012, 13:29 pm
@skopdiekan-193: And who’s gonna do it? You? Hahahaha that would be the joke of the century!!
Go change your diaper before katman pulls in here and swats you over the head with it. Again.
20 Nov 2012, 13:29 pm
@skopdiekan-193: Easy buddy. I haven’t even started insulting you today. Why all these bad vibes? Are you sure your chakras are aligned properly? Shout if you need me to talk you through anything.
20 Nov 2012, 13:30 pm
@Atreides-190:
You should stay of the spice for a while….Paul, son of Leto
20 Nov 2012, 13:31 pm
@Skeppie-194: didn’t look that closely…was doing a good job of drowning my bok sorrows at the time.
@skopdiekan-193: Deep breaths Snoekie…
20 Nov 2012, 13:32 pm
@TooMuchRugby-195:
Even if it is the only thing the Boks can manage to do properly these days.
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