'Eben made the choice to play... I'd like to think that he'll be doing it for his father'

Eben Etzebeth will take the field against the All Blacks this Saturday at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, despite the recent passing of his father. The news was shared by Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who expressed their readiness for the upcoming battle.

While addressing the media on Friday, Stick acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge awaiting them but emphasized the team’s unity in supporting Etzebeth during this difficult time. “We’ve prepared as well as we could for a massive game,” Stick said. “Eben’s loss is also our loss because we are a family, and as a team, we’d like to be there for one another.”

Tragedy has unfortunately struck the team twice, as Jaden Hendricks’ father also passed away before the team’s departure from South Africa. The Springboks have rallied together to provide support and solidarity to their grieving teammates. Stick added, “Eben made the choice to play this weekend, and I’d like to think that he’ll be doing it for his father. If he plays for his dad, it doesn’t get bigger than facing the All Blacks.”

Bongi Mbonambi acknowledged the daunting forward battle that lies ahead but expressed confidence in the team’s preparedness, despite some players arriving at the team hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning. “It’s always difficult playing against a fully loaded New Zealand team,” Mbonambi stated. “They are a good scrummaging team, and we saw how they performed against Argentina, so we have to be up for it.”

Reflecting on their match preparation, Mbonambi mentioned that the victory against Australia served as a positive start but emphasized the team’s focus on the present challenge. “The game against Australia was a good start for us, but we quickly put that behind us because we have another big challenge this week,” he said. “Fortunately, all the planning was done when we touched down, so we just had to slot in, and as a team, we’re aligned.”

Assistant coach Stick anticipated a tough test from the All Blacks, stressing the need for physicality and resilience to counter their high-tempo game. “If we want to beat the All Blacks, there’s no doubt that we have to stand up to them physically and also cope with their high-tempo game for the full 80 minutes,” Stick asserted. “It is also vital that when we create opportunities, we have to use them.”

While the prospect of defeating New Zealand in Auckland for the first time since 1937 holds significance, Stick revealed that the team’s focus remains firmly on the task at hand and the rich history between the two teams. “It’s the first time I hear about that. It would be special for the boys, but it isn’t something we’ve been thinking about,” he shared. “As a team, we spoke about facing the All Blacks at home. Some of us were part of the team that won in Wellington in 2018, but this is a new match, and we know the history between the teams is massive.”