Eben Etzebeth is looking forward to reigniting his rivalry with Maro Itoje when the Springboks face England at Twickenham this Saturday.
The towering Bok lock has battled Maro Itoje many times in his career, and their forthcoming clash promises to be another fierce chapter in their storied competition.
Speaking in an interview with the Telegraph, Etzebeth correctly estimated that he was five-three up against Itoje, but added that he would one day like to play alongside the English enforcer.
“I’ll turn it around and tell you about guys that I’d like to play a game or two with,” he told the Telegraph.
“Me and Brodie Retallick, we’ve played against each other for so many years, and I’d like to play with him for a change just to see how we’d operate and how he thinks about the game.
“Tomás Lavanini, I’d like to see how he gets up for a game. It’s the same with Maro Itoje,” Etzebeth added.
“Those are the three locks I’ve played a lot against in my career. I probably will still play against them a few more times, but I’d also like to be on the other side of things once, just to pick their brains a bit. I’ve got a lot of respect for them. Maybe the Barbarians can get us all together one day.”
The respect Etzebeth has for Itoje extends to his analysis of the Englishman’s game.
“He’s good at disrupting breakdowns,” Etzebeth observed.
“He obviously puts the nines under pressure quite a bit and is busy in the loose. I believe – I can’t say for sure – that he is a big player for his team. You only know that when you play with someone, but I’m sure he is a leader for his teams.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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