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Eben Etzebeth has his say on who next Springboks captain should be
By Liam Heagney
Springboks talisman Eben Etzebeth has waded into the debate about who should captain the team in 2024. With Siya Kolisi, the skipper of the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning teams now based in France, there has been talk that Rassie Erasmus will look to appoint a home-based player to take over for the campaign ahead.
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South Africa open their season with a Qatar Airways Cup match versus Wales in London on June 22 and this will be followed by the two-Test home series against Ireland and the visit of Portugal the following month before The Rugby Championship then swings into gear.
Kolisi exited the Sharks after France 2023 to take up a contract at Racing 92 and with Erasmus relinquishing his SA director of rugby role to become head coach of the Springboks following the exit of Jacques Nienaber to Leinster, there are suggestions that the captaincy will be changed despite the wonderful success of Kolisi in the position since his 2018 appointment.
Etzebeth, who moved back from France to join the Sharks in Durban for 2022/23, has been touted as a potential alternative to Kolisi as captain. Just over seven weeks before the Springboks face Wales in England, the second row has now spoken about the skipper situation.
Appearing on this week’s episode of The Rugby Pod, an interview he did in person with host Jim Hamilton as the Sharks are currently in London ahead of this Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final versus Clermont at the Twickenham Stoop, Etzebeth said: “Whoever is captain, things won’t change. Our process won’t change that much.
“Like when Siya was captain, you’d get a guy on the field who would speak to the ref about lineouts or a guy, if we get together, he speaks about whether our physicality is up to standard or whether the work rate is up to standard, so I think that will stay the same.
“If I get the opportunity it would be wonderful. If I don’t get the opportunity, also wonderful – as long as I am hopefully a part of the team. I know whoever is captain the other leaders in the team will support that guy.
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“It will always be the biggest honour in South African rugby to be captain of the Springboks but yeah, obviously not a big train smash if I’m not. There is some great candidates out there.
“I mean, Siya can still be captain. He is playing good rugby in France and he will always be part of this squad. We would love for him to still be captain but I mean that is up to the coaching staff whoever they pick. All the other leaders will back that guy.”
- Click the arrow below to listen to Eben Etzebeth on this week’s Rugby Pod
Etzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
Honestly, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. RSA has a ton of experienced talent in its leadership group. I am more interested in who is the new 8 man/8 men and the younger props. The captain may change but the system does not
1) does SA have a lot of experienced talent in its leadership group? The short answer is yes, the longer answer is that assuming they want a captain who (i) lives in SA; (ii) is a likely starter; and (iii) will be young enough to make the 2027 world cup, then Am, Willemse, and Arendse are the only people who without a doubt fill all three requirements, and an outside back isn’t an ideal choice! Etzebeth will be 35 in 2027 and Malherbe will be 36, so they might make 2027, and Nché is just held back by his current bench role, which might not persist. In sum, I’d guess Am and Etzebeth are probably the two frontrunners, but both come with caveats.
2) I assume Wiese will be the starting number 8 for the time being, with Roos as backup, or is Hanekom ready in your opinion?
3) at prop, I assume there will be more continuity than change. I’d guess the 5 from the WC squad will be kept on with the addition of Steenekamp. If kitshoff is injured then perhaps du Toit will replace him. Looking past the Ireland series I suspect Nyakane will be moved on, but I’m not sure if there is a ready made replacement yet?
4) will the system not change? Nienaber for Flannery might have pretty bit repercussions!