'I've read somewhere that I can curl 80kg; I'm not sure anyone alive can do that. But the truth is...'' - Etzebeth
There is a great Eben Etzebeth fable, enshrined in rugby legend, that feeds the narrative of physical freakery and rampant aggression inexorably attached to the giant lock.
The story goes that as a pup at the Stormers, the franchise didn’t have dumbbells heavy enough to tax him. Their largest set of weights was simply too light. Like fishermen boasting about the record-breaking carp they coulda-woulda-shoulda landed, the internet is awash with tales of the insane volume of tin that Etzebeth supposedly throws around.
“I’ve read somewhere that I can curl 80kg; I’m not sure anyone alive can do that,” he told RugbyPass. “But the truth is, back in 2012 I was starting out with the Stormers in pre-season and me and Steven Kitshoff – another really strong guy in the gym – were doing bench presses with dumbbells.
“The biggest dumbbells the Stormers had were 65kg. We were repping 65kg and we thought, let’s try something different, so we went to the physio room, took two 5kg plates and strapped one on each side. The conditioner saw that and ordered us in the 70kgs and 75kgs. Since then, I’ve had shoulder injuries and ACL damage, so I definitely can’t lift that anymore.”
So, the legend has frightening basis in fact. A mere 75kg – that’s almost equivalent to hoisting a Conor McGregor in each arm. The comical size difference between the monstrous Springbok and the deadly UFC fighter was illustrated recently when the pair met, dined and posed for a photograph on the gorgeous French island of Corsica.
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What a privilege to meet @thenotoriousmma and having a Sunday braai! #legend #notyouraveragesunday
Etzebeth was invited to spend a weekend holidaying on the archipelago by Princess Charlene of Monaco, who was raised in South Africa. He chatted to McGregor and picked the Irishman’s brains. Life at Toulon, where he has signed a new four-year deal just nine months into his first contract, certainly has its perks.
“We had lunch, a barbecue, it was just nice to meet him, speak to him, hear what he is about and what his plans are,” said Etzebeth.
“When I met him, he was really down to earth, a family guy. It was just like you were chatting to one of your friends. You could see at any time, he was always looking where his wife and kids were. It was really nice to see.”
At the moment, the hulking second-row is recovering from a rib injury sustained in Toulon’s Top 14 opener against La Rochelle, damage that should heal in time for the Springboks’ Rugby Championship campaign.
His days on the Cote d’Azur, although heavily disrupted by Covid-19, have been exhilarating. After the briefest of spells at Toulon, Etzebeth was moved to pledge his long-term future to the club this summer, an indication of how he is revelling in his new surrounds.
But it was a conversation with Bakkies Botha, his forebear as the great enforcer of the Boks pack and a trophy-laden juggernaut at the French side, that compelled him to look overseas.
“I had been at the Stormers for eight years and I just thought it was time to move on,” said Etzebeth. “I remember back in 2014, me and Marcell Coetzee and Bakkies went for a coffee in Ireland and he told us, ‘look, if I knew what I know now, I would have gone earlier’. A lot of guys who have come this side say the same thing. I didn’t want to wait for another four or five years, come when I’m over 30, and regret not coming earlier. I initially signed for two years, but I decided to stay longer.
“It’s quite similar to the way we played with the Springboks the past few seasons. We like to scrum and maul and use the forwards, the same game plan we have with the Springboks. It is a bit slower than Super Rugby, but the physicality makes up for that. It’s just nice to experience something different, new styles of play, and I didn’t have to change too much because they’re also quite forward-dominated here in Toulon.”
Etzebeth had long been earmarked as the heir to Botha’s iron throne with his snarl, refusal to be cowed and his constant berth at the epicentre of any on-field skirmishes that might require a 6ft 8ins lock to resolve with a handful of jersey and a strong word.
He has a reputation for the belligerent, but chiefly, he is a terrific rugby player, an imperious line-out operator with ballast and speed on open prairie. At 28, though, he cringes a little when he watches clips of his younger self rag-dolling opponents and taking on all comers.
“I like to break it up – I don’t like to fight!” he laughed. “It’s probably not something you go out looking for, you just do what’s in the moment. Discipline comes into it a lot so you don’t want to cost your team a penalty or a yellow card. It always starts with aggression but you must always think with a clear head and not show any stupid aggression.
“I’ve had a lot of downtime during lockdown and I watch rugby videos on YouTube and the things they put together with me, you probably won’t get away with any of it now.”
Back in South Africa, debate rages over the future for the Boks and the national franchises. These feel like seminal days for a colossal rugby nation. Is it better to push for a revised Super Rugby format and stick with Rugby Championship, launch a souped-up Currie Cup or flit north to join the European leagues and Six Nations?
Etzebeth says South Africans frequently underestimate the calibre of northern hemisphere rugby and the fervour of its supporters.
“Definitely there is a misperception, it would be nice if they can do something like a Club World Cup, the three or four best teams of each country playing each other to see who is the best,” he said.
“One thing that surprised me when I got here is the support from the fans. In France, almost every game before the lockdown, home or away, the stadium was packed. If you look at Super Rugby, crowd attendances really went down the past few years. You always think South Africa and New Zealand are massive on support and rugby is really big, but you come to France, and every week there’s a packed stadium. That was surprising to me.”
Amid the joy, there is personal turmoil to confront. In the lead-up to South Africa’s transformative World Cup win, Etzebeth was accused of racial abuse and assault with a firearm outside a bar in the idyllic coastal resort of Langebaan. He has been cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal SA Rugby investigation, chaired by a former judge, but may yet have a case to answer in the national Equality Court. Etzebeth vehemently maintains his innocence and while he will not discuss the allegations with legal matters pending, intends to give his full and frank account at some point in the future.
On the field, the challenge now is for the world champions to raise the bar again, to embrace being the hunted rather than the hunter and renew their thirst for success. There can be no resting on laurels, particularly against a wounded and smarting New Zealand and, coronavirus notwithstanding, the cream of Britain and Ireland in less than a year.
“I know rugby is a team sport, but it is probably going to start with each individual who was involved in that victory,” said Etzebeth. “As an individual, you are going to have to make the mind shift to not just be satisfied with a World Cup victory but keep on improving, keep on playing to the best of your ability.
“I am motivated to start playing again, to keep on improving. I know it’s hard to keep on improving on a World Cup win, but there is a Lions series and another World Cup coming, there are always things to be working towards.”
The sagging dumbbell rack might have a little less weight on it these days, but the fire for new glory burns as bright as ever.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments