Eben Etzebeth cleared to play for South Africa against New Zealand
Eben Etzebeth has been cleared of a knee injury
©PA
South Africa's lock Eben Etzebeth has been cleared to play against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg this Saturday, though he will start from the bench after initially being left out of the squad due to injury.
Coach Rassie Erasmus had excluded the two-time World Cup winner from the matchday 23 when he announced the team on Tuesday. However, due to a second-row injury crisis that leaves the Springboks without five regular players, Erasmus has brought the towering lock into the substitutes.
Etzebeth will replace flanker Marco van Staden on the bench, and if he takes the field, he will earn his 125th cap, moving into second place on South Africa's all-time appearances list, just two behind former lock Victor Matfield.
“Our selection policy has always been that if a player does not train on a Monday, he will not play on Saturday, but Eben has made it through training pain-free all week, so we had to make the tough call to name him in the squad at the expense of Marco,” Erasmus said.
South Africa currently are at the top of the Rugby Championship table after winning both their matches against Australia.
South Africa XV: 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 (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Reserves: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handre Pollard
