Eben Etzebeth will join the Springboks in France on Monday, back in the squad for the Nations Championship Tests against France and Ireland after recovering from the leg injury he picked up on United Rugby Championship duty for the Sharks. The most-capped Springbok of all time replaces uncapped flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who returns to South Africa on Sunday with a shoulder niggle.
Etzebeth was one of four experienced internationals ruled out of the original 37-man touring squad through injury, alongside Cheslin Kolbe, Handré Pollard and André Esterhuizen.
Ahmed, 20, was one of six uncapped players Rassie Erasmus named in that group. The sore shoulder kept him out of most of the training week in the build-up to Saturday’s 66-7 win over Italy in Turin, where none of the six made the match 23.
“We are very sad for Yaqeen after earning his first call-up to the national squad, but we feel it will be best for him to return to South Africa to recover.” – Rassie Erasmus
What Eben Etzebeth Brings Back Into The Second Row
Etzebeth has 147 Test caps and nine tries, more Tests than any other Springbok, and he turned 35 on 29 October. He has captained the side before, including in Paris against France in November 2017.
The locks already on tour are Lood de Jager, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, Franco Mostert and the uncapped Stormers lock Riley Norton, who was picked as a second-rower despite also covering blindside flank.
Erasmus was asked to find cover for a flyhalf and brought in a lock instead.
“With enough backline cover in the squad and a number of versatile players among them, we opted to call up Eben, who will not only bring vast experience to the group at this vital stage of the Nations Championship, but also valuable leadership skills, especially with two important matches against France and Ireland in the next two weeks before the Finals Weekend.” – Rassie Erasmus
The Last Time He Played At The Stade de France
That was the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final on 15 October, a 29-28 South African win. Etzebeth scored the try that decided it, spent ten minutes in the sin bin, and swatted back the pass to Thomas Ramos that would have put France over late in the game.
“France at the Stade de France is where Etzebeth has already written one of his best chapters. Bringing him in now is not nostalgia. It is the right piece for the week that matters.” – 🎙️Jay
He has not played a Test since the injury, so Friday would be his first run-out of the November tour if Erasmus goes to him straight away.
Eben Etzebeth And The Nations Championship Run-In
The bonus-point win in Turin moved South Africa to 20 championship points. France come next, at the Stade de France on Friday 13 November, with kick-off at 22:10 South African time and the match live on SuperSport.
Ireland follow in Dublin eight days later, and the Finals Weekend closes the tournament.
Erasmus names his match 23 to face France on Monday, the same day Etzebeth joins the squad.
