Boks to play for Etzebeth in Championship showdown

Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, says they will play for Eben Etzebeth, who will become the most capped Springbok of all time with 128 Tests. He’s also promised that they will make the entire country proud when they line up against Argentina in Nelspruit on Saturday.

The Boks hope to clinch the Rugby Championship title, which will see Kolisi lift the trophy for the first time since 2019.

Kolisi said the fact that no player in this squad has ever won the full edition of the Rugby Championship – a feat last achieved by the Boks in 2009, 2004 and 1998 when Bok coach, Rassie Erasmus, was a player – would make winning the title even sweeter.

The Bok captain, who made his Test debut in Nelspruit against Scotland in 2013, had fond memories of running out in the Springbok jersey for the first time in Nelspruit and he was delighted to share Etzebeth’s phenomenal achievement with him in the same city as a good a friend on Saturday.

“I’ll never forget my first game – it was a special one against Scotland and it was tough too, so it’s fantastic for me to share this moment with Eben and mark this milestone with him together,” said Kolisi.

“I met Eben when I was 18 years old and we’ve been friends for a long time, even when he went overseas. So, for us as a team the best way to show how special he is to us will be to win tomorrow. He doesn’t want this week to be about him, winning would mean so much more to him.”