Etzebeth still in Springbok mix despite team omission for All Blacks game

Springbok enforcer Eben Etzebeth is still very much in the mix to face the All Blacks, despite not making the match 23 named on Tuesday by coach Rassie Erasmus for the important Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.

On Monday assistant coach Deon Davids told the media that Etzebeth had an injury niggle and was a doubt for the game, especially due to the Boks training policy that says if a player can’t train on a Monday they can’t play on Saturday.

Etzebeth however managed to train on Monday, but still remains a doubt, with the Bok management set to make a call on his availability for the match on Tuesday night.

“We announced (the team to the players) on Monday morning internally, with Eben out, because our policy is that if you can’ train on a Monday, you can’t play on a Saturday. But then Eben goes and does the whole training session on Monday,” explained Erasmus.

“I have to look at how this afternoon goes and then have a chat with all the players tonight. We might make a change, because he might have miraculously recovered, and the doc says there is some science behind that, it’s not just the will to play or the occasion.

“If that’s the case, we will be happy. It will be very unlucky for one of Marco (van Staden), Elrigh (Louw) and Kwagga (Smith) to be left out. It will be a call between the three of them. We will think clearly and see how Pieter-Steph (du Toit) moves and tonight we will make the call.”

Versatile Du Toit

Seeing how Du Toit fares at No4 lock in training could play a part in Erasmus risking Etzebeth for the match, as Du Toit has extensive experience playing at No5 lock, where he started his career before moving to flank, but has not featured much at No4.

If Etzebeth is cleared to start, Ruan Nortje might have to drop from No5 lock to the bench, allowing Du Toit to shift to his more comfortable position, while one of the three loose forwards on the bench, in Van Staden, Louw or Smith will drop out.

The injury to Etzebeth, which he picked up in a scrum training session, is not a serious one according to Erasmus, and if he isn’t fit enough to face the All Blacks this weekend, he should return for the second game in Cape Town next weekend.

“It’s a meniscus (injury). It’s just from changing one foot to the other in the scrum on his own, it’s not like someone ran onto his knee and he got a tear. He twisted his knee a little bit in a scrum session. The mechanics don’t show big trauma, which is positive,” said Erasmus.