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There is a great fable by Eben Etzebeth, enshrined in rugby legend, that fuels the narrative of physical monstrosity and unbridled aggression inexorably linked to the giant lock.
The story goes that when he was a puppy in the Stormers, the franchise didn’t have weights heavy enough to tax him. His largest set of weights was simply too light. Like the fishermen who brag about the unprecedented carp they could have landed, the internet is awash with stories about the incredible volume of tin Etzebeth allegedly spews out.
“I read somewhere that I can curl 80 kg; I’m not sure anyone alive can do that, “he said. RugbyPass. “But the truth is, in 2012 I started with the Stormers in preseason and Steven Kitshoff and I, another really strong guy in the gym, were doing dumbbell bench presses.
Le French Rugby Podcast – Ep 2
“The biggest weights the Stormers had were 65kg. We were weighing 65 kg and we thought, let’s try something different, so we went to the physiotherapy room, took two 5 kg plates and tied one on each side. The conditioner saw that and ordered us at 70kg and 75kg. Since then, I’ve had shoulder injuries and ACL damage, so I definitely can’t lift that. “
So the legend has a terrifying foundation indeed. A mere 75kg, that’s roughly equivalent to lifting a Conor McGregor on each arm. The comical difference in size between the monstrous Springbok and the deadly UFC fighter was recently illustrated when the couple met, dined and posed for a photograph on the beautiful French island of Corsica.
Etzebeth was invited to spend a weekend vacation in the archipelago by Princess Charlene of Monaco, who grew up in South Africa. She chatted with McGregor and chose the Irishman’s brain. Life in Toulon, where she signed a new four-year contract just nine months after her first contract, certainly has its advantages.
“We had lunch, a barbecue, it was a pleasure meeting him, talking to him, hearing what he is about and what his plans are,” Etzebeth said.
“When I met him, he was down to earth, he was a family man. It was like you were chatting with one of your friends. It could be seen at any moment, he was always looking where his wife and children were. It was very nice to see him. “
At the moment, the burly 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 Côte d’Azur, although greatly interrupted by Covid-19, have been exhilarating. After the briefest of spells in Toulon, Etzebeth felt driven to promise his long-term future to the club this summer, an indication of how he is delighting in his new surroundings.
But it was a conversation with Bakkies Botha, his ancestor as the great enforcer of the Boks herd and a trophy-laden monster on the French side, that forced him to look abroad.
Eben Etzebeth approaches fans in Toulon
“I had been with the Stormers for eight years and I thought it was time to move on,” Etzebeth said. “I remember in 2014, Marcell Coetzee and Bakkies, I went to Ireland for coffee and he told us, ‘Look, if I knew what I know now, I would have gone earlier.’ Many guys who have come from this side say the same thing. I didn’t want to wait another four or five years, arrive when I am over 30 and regret not coming sooner. I initially signed for two years, but decided to stay longer.
“It’s pretty similar to the way we’ve played for the Springboks the last few seasons. We like to scrum and maul and use forwards, the same game plan we have with the Springboks. It’s a bit slower than Super Rugby, but the physique makes up for it. It’s nice to experience something different, new styles of play, and I didn’t have to change too much because they are also quite dominated by the forwards here in Toulon. “
Etzebeth had long been designated as the heir to Botha’s iron throne with his growl, his refusal to be intimidated, and his constant place at the epicenter of any skirmish in the field that might require a 6-foot-8-inch blockade to resolve. with a handful of jersey and a strong word.
He has a reputation for being belligerent, but most of all, he is an excellent rugby player, a commanding line-out operator with ballast and speed on the open meadow. However, at 28 years old, he cringes a bit when he sees clips of his younger opponents making rags and taking on all comers.
Eben Etzebeth has his top ripped in a fight
“I like to break it, I don’t like to fight!” The river. “It’s probably not something you go looking for, you just do what is in the moment. Discipline comes into play a lot, so you don’t want your team to get a penalty or a yellow card. It always starts with aggression but you should always think with a clear head and not show any stupid aggression.
“I’ve had a lot of downtime during the lockdown and I watch rugby videos on YouTube and the things they put together with me, you probably won’t get away with it now.”
Back in South Africa, debate rages over the future of the Boks and national franchises. These feel like seminal days for a colossal rugby nation. Better to push for a revised Super Rugby format and stick with the Rugby Championship, launch an improved Currie Cup, or fly north to join the European leagues and the Six Nations?
Etzebeth says that South Africans often underestimate the caliber of Northern Hemisphere rugby and the fervor of its fans.
“There is definitely a misperception, it would be nice if they could do something like a Club World Cup, the three or four best teams from each country playing each other to see who is the best,” he said.
Eben Etzebeth in the Stormers (Photo by Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)
“One thing that surprised me when I got here is the support from the fans. In France, almost every game before the lockdown, at home or away, the stadium was packed. If you look at Super Rugby, the attendance really declined in recent years. You always think that South Africa and New Zealand have great support and rugby is really great, but you come to France and every week there is a full stadium. That was surprising to me. “
In the midst of joy, there is personal confusion to face. In the run-up to South Africa’s transformative World Cup victory, Etzebeth was charged with racial abuse and assault with a firearm in front of a bar in the idyllic seaside resort of Langebaan. She has been cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal SA Rugby investigation, presided over by a former judge, but may still have a case to answer in the National Equality Court. Etzebeth vehemently maintains her innocence and, while she will not discuss the allegations with pending legal matters, she intends to give her full and frank version at some point in the future.
On the field, the challenge now is for the world champions to raise the bar again, agree to be the hunted rather than the hunter, and renew their thirst for success. It cannot have rested on its laurels, particularly against a wounded and sore New Zealand and, despite the coronavirus, the cream of Britain and Ireland in less than a year.
“I know rugby is a team sport, but it will probably start with every individual who participated in that victory,” Etzebeth said. “As an individual, you will have to make a change of mind not only to be satisfied with a victory in the World Cup, but to keep improving, keep playing the best you can.
“I am motivated to play again, to continue improving. I know it is difficult to keep improving in a World Cup, but there are a series of Lions and another World Cup to come, there are always things to work on ”.
The sunken rack of the dumbbells may be a little less in weight these days, but the fire of new glory burns as bright as ever.
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