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What Eben Etzebeth makes of the Scotland threat

Eben Etzebeth of South Africa during the South Africa men's national rugby captain's run at Merchiston on November 09, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth anticipates a tough 80-minute clash against Scotland for their Autumn Nations Series Test in Edinburgh, saying ‘games are not won on paper’.

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Despite South Africa’s higher world ranking and strong record against Scotland, the 129-cap veteran insists they are not underestimating their opponents.

“They are a good team,” said Etzebeth. “They had a few impressive results in the Six Nations and so have their teams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, so they are improving every year. This match is going to be a big challenge for us in all areas of the game.

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Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick on Canan Moodie’s role against Scotland

Canan Moodie is a player who is perfectly suited to deal with Scotland’s backline threats, according to assistant coach Mzwandile Stick.

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Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick on Canan Moodie’s role against Scotland

Canan Moodie is a player who is perfectly suited to deal with Scotland’s backline threats, according to assistant coach Mzwandile Stick.

“With their kicking game and pack, they’ll be up to face us. They also have a few South Africans in their ranks who will give them an idea of what to expect from us.”

“We consider them as one of the top nations in world rugby, just as we see the likes of Ireland and New Zealand, so we know it will be a physical encounter, and over and above that, it’s always tough playing at Murrayfield,” added Etzebeth.

“Personally, it is one of my favourite grounds, but it’s going to be an epic encounter, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus chose a seven-forward replacements bench and Eben Etzebeth agreed the forward pack would be crucial to the match’s outcome.

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“On paper we have a good bench, but games are not won on paper,” said Etzebeth. “Scotland also have a quality bench who’ll also want to make a big impact, so we don’t read too much into that sentiment (that this is one of the best benches named yet in rugby).”

“Everything starts with the forwards except for the restarts, and most matches these days are won and lost up front. We have great respect for Scotland as a team and their forward pack, so we have to be at our best to beat them.”

Dry conditions are expected, but assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says the Springboks are ready to kick change plans on short notice.

“From the information we’ve received it’s going to be a dry day, but we experienced some wet conditions in Jersey, so the weather won’t change how we want to play.” said Stick. “We know Scotland will do everything they can to stop us from implementing our plan, but we’ve prepared well and hopefully we can stick to our plans on the day.”

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Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)

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J
JW 40 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Ok, managed to read the full article..

... New Zealand’s has only 14 and the professional season is all over within four months. In France, club governance is the responsibility of an independent organisation [the Ligue Nationale de Rugby or LNR] which is entirely separate from the host union [the Fédération Française de Rugby or FFR]. Down south New Zealand Rugby runs the provincial and the national game.

That is the National Provincial Championship, a competition of 14 representative union based teams run through the SH international window and only semi professional (paid only during it's running). It is run by NZR and goes for two and a half months.


Super Rugby is a competition involving 12 fully professional teams, of which 5 are of New Zealand eligibility, and another joint administered team of Pacific Island eligibility, with NZR involvement. It was a 18 week competition this year, so involved (randomly chosen I believe) extra return fixtures (2 or 3 home and away derbys), and is run by Super Rugby Pacific's own independent Board (or organisation). The teams may or may not be independently run and owned (note, this does not necessarily mean what you think of as 'privately owned').


LNR was setup by FFR and the French Government to administer the professional game in France. In New Zealand, the Players Association and Super Rugby franchises agreed last month to not setup their own governance structure for professional rugby and re-aligned themselves with New Zealand Rugby. They had been proposing to do something like the English model, I'm not sure how closely that would have been aligned to the French system but it did not sound like it would have French union executive representation on it like the LNR does.

In the shaky isles the professional pyramid tapers to a point with the almighty All Blacks. In France the feeling for country is no more important than the sense of fierce local identity spawned at myriad clubs concentrated in the southwest. Progress is achieved by a nonchalant shrug and the wide sweep of nuanced negotiation, rather than driven from the top by a single intense focus.

Yes, it is pretty much a 'representative' selection system at every level, but these union's are having to fight for their existence against the regime that is NZR, and are currently going through their own battle, just as France has recently as I understand it. A single focus, ala the French game, might not be the best outcome for rugby as a whole.


For pure theatre, it is a wonderful article so far. I prefer 'Ntamack New Zealand 2022' though.

The young Crusader still struggles to solve the puzzle posed by the shorter, more compact tight-heads at this level but he had no problem at all with Colombe.

It was interesting to listen to Manny during an interview on Maul or Nothing, he citied that after a bit of banter with the All Black's he no longer wanted one of their jersey's after the game. One of those talks was an eye to eye chat with Tamaiti Williams, there appear to be nothing between the lock and prop, just a lot of give and take. I thought TW angled in and caused Taylor to pop a few times, and that NZ were lucky to be rewarded.

f you have a forward of 6ft 8ins and 145kg, and he is not at all disturbed by a dysfunctional set-piece, you are in business.

He talked about the clarity of the leadership that helped alleviate any need for anxiety at the predicaments unfolding before him. The same cannot be said for New Zealand when they had 5 minutes left to retrieve a match winning penalty, I don't believe. Did the team in black have much of a plan at any point in the game? I don't really call an autonomous 10 vehicle they had as innovative. I think Razor needs to go back to the dealer and get a new game driver on that one.

Vaa’i is no match for his power on the ground. Even in reverse, Meafou is like a tractor motoring backwards in low gear, trampling all in its path.

Vaa'i actually stops him in his tracks. He gets what could have been a dubious 'tackle' on him?

A high-level offence will often try to identify and exploit big forwards who can be slower to reload, and therefore vulnerable to two quick plays run at them consecutively.

Yes he was just standing on his haunches wasn't he? He mentioned that in the interview, saying that not only did you just get up and back into the line to find the opposition was already set and running at you they also hit harder than anything he'd experienced in the Top 14. He was referring to New Zealands ultra-physical, burst-based Super style of course, which he was more than a bit surprised about. I don't blame him for being caught out.


He still sent the obstruction back to the repair yard though!

What wouldn’t the New Zealand rugby public give to see the likes of Mauvaka and Meafou up front..

Common now Nick, don't go there! Meafou showed his Toulouse shirt and promptly got his citizenship, New Zealand can't have him, surely?!?


As I have said before with these subjects, really enjoy your enthusiasm for their contribution on the field and I'd love to see more of their shapes running out for Vern Cotter and the like styled teams.

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