{"id":28284,"date":"2025-09-10T14:40:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T12:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=28284"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:52:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T07:52:36","slug":"why-springboks-excluded-eben-etzebeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/why-springboks-excluded-eben-etzebeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Springboks Opted to Rest Eben Etzebeth Against the All Blacks?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Springbok assistant coach Duane Vermeulen has shed light on the surprising omission of veteran lock Eben Etzebeth. He has been excluded from the matchday squad for Saturday\u2019s Rugby Championship showdown against New Zealand in Wellington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Etzebeth, 33, a cornerstone of the Bok pack with 136 caps, is rested as part of a long-term management plan. Despite the magnitude of the fixture, Vermeulen insists the decision was made with the player\u2019s well-being in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-absences-and-bold-selections\">Key Absences and Bold Selections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Etzebeth is not the only notable absentee, with experienced backs Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende also left out. The Bok management has opted to back several less experienced players against their fiercest rivals. This signals a calculated gamble in one of the most high-stakes matches of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Replacing Etzebeth in the starting XV is Lood de Jager, traditionally a No. 5 lock, while Ruan Nortj\u00e9 retains his spot after starting in last weekend\u2019s defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland. RG Snyman will provide cover from the bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Etzebeth has featured heavily this year, playing in five of South Africa\u2019s seven Tests, and Vermeulen emphasized the importance of balancing his workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rassie Erasmus has made a number of tweaks to the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Springboks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Springboks<\/a> team for Saturday&#39;s second clash against the All Blacks in New Zealand \ud83e\udee1<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ForeverGreenForeverGold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#ForeverGreenForeverGold<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Springboks (@Springboks) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Springboks\/status\/1964943057021006020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">September 8, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/rassie-erasmus-unveils-springboks-new-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rassie Erasmus Unveils Springboks\u2019 New Strategy Against All Blacks<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2314114398\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-vermeulen-on-etzebeth-s-rest\">Vermeulen on Etzebeth\u2019s Rest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t play Eben every single game \u2013 he\u2019s going to burn out, and we still want him around for a couple more years,\u201d Vermeulen explained at a press briefing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe need a bit of rotation. Ruan and Lood have shown they can handle big occasions. Last year, when we had lock injuries, Ruan stepped up and performed well. Of course, it looks a bit unusual having two No. 5 locks starting, but they understand their roles and how to approach the game. This will be a great test for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Springbok media conference with Duane Vermeulen and Ethan Hooker\" width=\"755\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hA1bKGmvKOA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-addressing-breakdown-concerns\">Addressing Breakdown Concerns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the key talking points from last week\u2019s loss at Eden Park was South Africa\u2019s struggle at the breakdown, with New Zealand disrupting possession and stifling the Bok attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the All Blacks\u2019 excellence in that area, but Vermeulen played down concerns, suggesting the issue was exaggerated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey only had two steals and one counter-ruck in the whole game. In an 80-minute test, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s a major issue,\u201d Vermeulen argued. \u201cYes, they applied pressure, but it\u2019s not like it completely exposed us. Our focus is on improving the overall game rather than singling out one area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"New Zealand v South Africa | Match Highlights | The Rugby Championship\" width=\"755\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4XgzL0LjhLI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/south-africa-vs-new-zealand-what-to-know\/\">South Africa vs New Zealand: Everything You Need to Know Ahead of the Test<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3055406729\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-high-stakes-at-the-cake-tin\">High Stakes at the \u201cCake Tin\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Boks head into the clash under pressure after their defeat in Auckland, knowing a victory in Wellington is crucial to keeping their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.co.za\/sport\/rugby\/boks-coach-reveals-etzebeth-sit-out-test-all-blacks-wellington\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rugby<\/a> Championship hopes alive. While Etzebeth\u2019s absence may raise eyebrows, Vermeulen remains confident that the depth of the squad will shine through in one of rugby\u2019s fiercest rivalries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Springbok assistant coach Duane Vermeulen has shed light on the surprising omission of veteran lock Eben Etzebeth. He has been excluded from the matchday squad for Saturday\u2019s Rugby Championship showdown against New Zealand in Wellington. Etzebeth, 33, a cornerstone of the Bok pack with 136 caps, is rested as part of a long-term management plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":28286,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Springbok assistant coach Duane Vermeulen has shed light on the surprising omission of veteran lock Eben Etzebeth. He has been excluded from the matchday squad...","footnotes":""},"categories":[56,64],"tags":[11108,3174,415,873],"class_list":{"0":"post-28284","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"category-sports-news","9":"tag-latest-sports-news","10":"tag-rugby-championship","11":"tag-sa-rugby","12":"tag-springboks"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28284"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28303,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28284\/revisions\/28303"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}