Andre the Giant not that big when he talks

Springboks centre Andre Esterhuizen is a physical giant. He isn’t quite as big when it comes to rugby intelligence, writes Mark Keohane.

Esterhuizen, in a very public interview with Planet Rugby, said that Harlequins teammate and England utility back Marcus Smith was the best flyhalf in his career.

Esterhuizen was quoted as saying people would think his answer would be Manie Libbok or Handre Pollard. ‘No’, he said, it was Smith.

What Esterhuizen forgot to mention was that he has only ever played a few Test matches outside of Libbok, in 2023, and in his seven year Test career, he has played seven Tests at No 12 when Pollard has played at No 10 for the Springboks.

He has played 89 times for Harlequins and Smith has been on his inside for most of those appearances.

A logical response would have been: ‘In my professional career the player I have played outside most of the time is Marcus Smith and that is why I rate him so highly … and that is why I have to rank him the best. You may ask me about the Springboks, but I have only played 16 Test matches in seven years, and I did not start in all of those 16 Test matches. I played outside Handre Pollard, Elton Jantjies and Manie Libbok, so it would be wrong to even compare those three and 16 Test matches, to the 89 matches at Harlequins, at club level, outside of Marcus.

Instead, this is what Andre the Giant said: ‘You’re going to think I’m going to say Handre or Manie [Libbok],” Esterhuizen told Planet Rugby. ‘But personally, work-ethic wise, as a student of the game and just an unbelievable player that can make something happen out of nothing, the best flyhalf I’ve played with in my life is Marcus. A lot of people perhaps don’t see it, but Marcus is level-headed. He’s one of those guys that, although he is one of the best in the world, is always wanting to learn, to be better. For me he is definitely the best player, flyhalf, I’ve played with – in terms of what has suited me. I’ve got a lot better playing with and next to him.’

So work-ethic wise, as a student of the game and just an unbelievable player than can make something happen out of nothing, those are qualities Esterhuizen does not see in Libbok or Pollard, who he has played outside a combined 10 times in seven years, at Test level.

Esterhuizen, in his 89 matches for Harlequins, has played 6590 minutes. In his 81 matches for the Sharks in South Africa, he has played 5453 minutes. In his 16 Tests for the Boks, he has played 1046 minutes. Logic would suggest he would compare whoever was playing flyhalf at the Sharks to Smith at Harlequins, and not two Boks World Cup winners, who in seven years have combined for 10 Tests, playing on Esterhuizen’s inside.

Eish!

SA RUGBY MAGAZINE REPORTS ON THE ESTERHUIZEN INTERVIEW