Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus in a light-hearted moment with Eben Etzebeth and Victor Matfield at a training session. File Picture: SA Rugby
Mike Greenaway
Only the most passionate Argentinian fan or a fool would bet against the Springboks adding another title to their collection when they host the South Americans in the Rugby Championship finale in Mbombela on Saturday evening (5pm kick-off).
The world champions need one log point out of the game to secure their first Championship title since 2019, and only the fifth since the tournament started in 1996.
The Boks will take the field fuelled with motivation to honour arguably the greatest Springbok of all time, Eben Etzebeth, who will become the most capped South African in international rugby.
The great warrior will go past Victor Matfield’s record of 127 Test caps.
The Boks are also back to full strength after leaving eight first-choice players behind last week when the team journeyed to Argentina for a match in which they were shocked by the Pumas, losing 29-28 in Santiago del Estero.
Mbombela is about to ROAR! 🦁#ForeverGreenForeverGold #Springboks pic.twitter.com/AcAQSYrepz
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 26, 2024
The Boks now know what it is like to lose by a single point (they won by this margin three times at last year’s World Cup), and they will be stung into action.
And it is a modern stadium the Boks enjoy. It was built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, and the South Africans are unbeaten there in four matches.
The last time they played there, in 2022, they smashed the All Blacks 26-10.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus admitted the team will be playing for Etzebeth.
“We’d like to do it for him on Saturday,” the coach said. “If you asked me to describe the ultimate Springbok, I would describe Eben Etzebeth.”
Erasmus said the big lock forward exuded competitiveness from every pore.
“About two months ago, he phoned me and said: ‘You still haven’t paid me that R200 we wagered on a game of darts! Few guys can call the coach and say you owe me R200. And this is not because he is stingy – he’s just competitive.
“He doesn’t like losing, he doesn’t like it when the team isn’t in the right mindset and people aren’t trying their best. And he will fix it.”
Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi has travelled a long road with Etzebeth since they arrived as youngsters at the Stormers.
Mbonambi said: “The thing with Eben has always been his character in the changeroom. Yes, he can be the serious guy if that is what is required, but he can also be a joker.
“He can read a mood better than most. He will loosen up the mood in the team when there’s too much tension.
“Also, when it’s time to get serious, he’s the guy who knuckles down and makes things very personal.”
To put the 32-year-old Etzebeth’s longevity into perspective, when he made his debut in 2012, Saturday’s starting Bok scrumhalf, Jaden Hendrikse, was 11 (he is now 24).
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