Eben Etzebeth Springboks
Leading South African bookmakers were quick to react to the news of Eben Etzebeth's late inclusion in the Springbok matchday squad. Image: SA Rugby website

Home » Eben Etzebeth’s march to most-capped Springbok on hold

Eben Etzebeth’s march to most-capped Springbok on hold

Eben Etzebeth will remain tied with Bryan Habana as the second-most capped Springbok of all time for at least another week. 

Eben Etzebeth Springboks
Leading South African bookmakers were quick to react to the news of Eben Etzebeth's late inclusion in the Springbok matchday squad. Image: SA Rugby website

Eben Etzebeth will remain tied with Bryan Habana as the second-most capped Springbok of all time for at least another week. 

Etzebeth and Habana both have 124th Test appearances in the green and gold.

However, the second-rower will have to wait to inch closer to fellow lock Victor Matfield whose 127 Tests for South Africa is the current record.

Etzebeth wasn’t included in Rassie Erasmus’s 23-man squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, 31 August.

Kick-off is at 17:00.

Etzebeth is struggling with both back and knee injuries at present.

It remains to be seen whether he will be passed fit for the second Test between the two nations at the Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 7 September.

Eben Etzebeth has time on his side

With the Springboks set to play six more Tests in 2024 (after this weekend), assuming he stays injury-free, Etzebeth will assume the mantle of most-capped Springbok before the year is out.

Etzebeth also has time on his side considering he will only turn 33 in late October.

Below, Springboks to have played 80 or more Tests heading into Saturday’s match:

PlayerTestsTries
Victor Matfield1277
Bryan Habana12467
Eben Etzebeth *1246
Tendai Mtawarira1172
John Smit1118
Jean de Villiers10927
Percy Montgomery10225
Willie le Roux *9615
Joost van der Westhuizen8938
Ruan Pienaar888
Schalk Burger8616
Siya Kolisi *8611
Bakkies Botha857
Steven Kitshoff *832
Damian De Allende *8211
Pieter-Steph du Toit *819
Os du Randt805
* Denotes still active

TEAMS

South Africa

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handre Pollard

New Zealand

TBA

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