"Not injured" - Eben Etzebeth stood down from Springbok duty again
Rugby NewsTuesday, 09 September 2025 at 22:00
The Springboks will field an unusual lock pairing for their second Test against the All Blacks, with Duane Vermeulen admitting the combination looks “pretty weird” on paper.
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Head coach Rassie Erasmus has opted to rest star second-rower Eben Etzebeth for the clash in Wellington, instead naming Ruan Nortje and Lood de Jager in the starting XV. Etzebeth’s absence is one of only two changes to the pack that lined up against New Zealand at Eden Park in Round Three of the Rugby Championship.
The other change sees Jasper Wiese return, allowing Siya Kolisi to move back to his preferred role on the side of the scrum.
Vermeulen explained the reasoning behind the decision to give Etzebeth a break:
While some have questioned the pairing of Nortje and De Jager, Vermeulen believes the rotation is both necessary and justified.
“We need that little bit of rotation. We have RG on the bench, and those guys [Nortje and De Jager] have played big, important matches. Last year, when we were a couple of locks down, Ruan got the opportunity, and he really did well.”
Still, he acknowledged that the combination may raise eyebrows.
“Obviously, it looks pretty weird if you have two five locks in your pack, but they play their part and they know exactly what they want to do and where they want to go about their game. It’ll be a good challenge to see if the guys can make a step up and work without Eben.”
With the All Blacks coming off a ruthless display in Auckland, the Springboks will be tested as they look to prove that their depth and rotation policy can hold up under pressure.
Rugby Championship
Below, we take a closer look at five players who failed to deliver in round three of the Rugby Championship.
#1. Willie le Roux
RUCK 4.5/10: "South Africa’s centurion had a night to forget. Beaten all too easily in the build-up to Emoni Narawa’s try, his defensive frailties were ruthlessly exposed. He failed to inject creativity or link play effectively in attack, looking off the pace throughout. With little contribution going forward and lapses at the back, his presence was more liability than asset. Withdrawn before 50 minutes, this was a flat performance from a player usually relied upon for composure."
Planet Rugby 3/10: "A shocking start to the match as he poorly dealt with Beauden Barrett’s cross-kick to Emoni Narawa, and it proved extremely costly as the winger pounced to score. That was followed by a fumble in the air that resulted in a penalty to New Zealand. Le Roux did have some bright moments in the back-up and with his clearances, but overall, it was a very, very underwhelming performance from the veteran Bok. He was replaced early in the second half by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu."
The South African 5/10: "He offered little to nothing on attack and was poor in defence. It was his defensive lapse – where he dived over the ball-carrier instead of tackling him – that led to the All Blacks’ opening try in the second minute of the game. By the time he was hooked in the second half, he had already been a passenger for too long."
Summary: Le Roux’s defensive errors and lack of attacking spark made him a liability; a forgettable night for the veteran.
#2. Taniela Tupou (Wallabies)
Rugby Pass 3/10: "Two early penalties from Tupou set the Wallabies back. His no arms tackle was picked up by the TMO and reversed a penalty won by McReight, leading to the Pumas first three points. Carried hard but just a little off in his game. Off at half-time."
Planet Rugby 3/10: "A tough day at the office for the tighthead prop who impressed against the Lions and then twice in South Africa. While he did seem to get the upper hand in the scrum, it wasn’t really rewarded, and he struggled with his discipline, conceding two penalties – the first perhaps a bit harsh. He did offer himself up as a carrier but was largely shut down and was quiet on defence. By his recent standards, it was a real mare from the powerhouse forward who didn’t return to the park after half-time."
#3. Tom Robertson (Wallabies)
Rugby Pass 3/10: "The Wallabies scrum looked strong on the first push but they were pinged for not staying straight. Robertson had two penalties conceded early. Off at half-time."
Planet Rugby 3/10: "Much the same as his fellow prop forward, as he conceded two penalties in an ill-disciplined first-half performance from the team as a whole. Rather anonymous around the park, too and hooked at the break."
#4. Rieko Ioane (All Blacks)
FloRugby 4/10: "Threatened when the ball finally reached him, but South Africa squeezed his space all night. Seventeen metres from four carries and tidy defensive decisions on the edge. Worked hard on kick chase and clean-up duty. The break did not quite open for him."
RUCK 5/10: "Really quiet performance, didn’t make much of an impact on the game as you’d expect from one of the more experienced players in the All Blacks starting XV."
#5. Handre Pollard
RUCK 5/10: "South Africa’s fly-half had an uneven night, mixing moments of brilliance with glaring errors. He opened the scoring with a straightforward penalty and delivered a world-class 50:22 late in the first half, demonstrating his tactical kicking ability. Yet, his defensive tackling was poor, he missed another kick at goal, and threw a dreadful pass into touch. Despite his experience, Pollard failed to galvanise a flat Bok attack, leaving his performance defined more by inconsistency than control."
Planet Rugby 3/10: "His sloppy pass put the Springboks under early pressure, and while he recovered to pepper the All Blacks’ backfield and put New Zealand under pressure. However, this was far from a vintage Pollard performance despite flashes of brilliance. His passing accuracy was wayward, and in some way that was due to what he was receiving from the under-pressure Williams."
The South African 6/10: "The flyhalf didn’t get much ball on the front-foot and that is because the Springboks’ forwards were outmuscled and ultimately outplayed. He knocked over his first attempt at goal, but his flawless kicking streak came to an end when he skewed his second attempt at goal."
Summary: Pollard showed flashes of brilliance with tactical kicks, but inconsistency and defensive lapses defined his night.
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