Assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has backed Eben Etzebeth to make a huge impact off the bench for the Springboks against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Initially excluded by injury for the first of two Tests against New Zealand in the Republic, Etzebeth was on Wednesday cleared for the Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg.
He replaced Marco van Staden in the matchday 23 as specialist lock cover for the starting combination of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ruan Nortje.
The Test will mark Etzebeth’s 125th in the green and gold jersey and he is on track to overtake Bryan Habana into second place among the most-capped players in Bok history – Victor Matfield leads with a record of 127 Test caps.
On Etzebeth’s inclusion among the replacements after making it through training all week pain-free, Stick told reporters in a Bok conference on Friday: “He’s looking good, and we are confident that he’ll make a good impact.
“We’ve selected a strong team, and we have players like Pieter-Steph [du Toit], while Ruan [Nortje] has really grabbed his opportunity.
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“We’ve selected a well-balanced side with players who can make a strong impact off the bench and which we believe can counter what they throw at us.”
“They all have a massive work rate, and that’s vital against a team like the All Blacks where you must play until the last second, so we are excited about the players we have on the bench.”
The Boks will go in search of their third victory in as many games and attempt to stretch their lead at the top of the Rugby Championship standings on Saturday.
Should the Boks come out on top, it will be just the second time in the professional era that they have claimed three wins in a row over the All Blacks.
Stick, like many pundits, predicted a cracker of a match: “The last few times we’ve played against them have been some of the most entertaining encounters, especially given how they play until the final whistle, and I don’t think it will be any different this weekend,.
“If we don’t get momentum and dominate the set pieces, it could be a long day for us.”
Stick highlighted the influence former All Black flyhalf Tony Brown has had in the Bok coaching team and said he’s been making a valuable contribution.
“Tony understands their DNA,” said Stick. “He played for them, and he’s coached alongside some of their coaches, so yes, we’ve tapped into that.
“They are a team that takes pride in what they do, so we are expecting them to come hard at us, but we’ll be ready for that. They keep the ball in hand as long as possible, but we are well-conditioned and know what to expect.”
Photo: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
