Springboks talisman Eben Etzebeth has waded into the debate about who should captain the team in 2024. With Siya Kolisi, the skipper of the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning teams now based in France, there has been talk that Rassie Erasmus will look to appoint a home-based player to take over for the campaign ahead.
The Qatar Airways Cup encounter against Wales in London on June 22 will be South Africa’s season opener. After that, the country will play two Test series at home against Ireland and Portugal the following month, and then the Rugby Championship will get underway.
Kolisi left the Sharks after the France 2023 tournament to sign a contract with Racing 92. There are rumors that the captaincy will be changed despite Kolisi’s amazing success in the role since his appointment in 2018, as Erasmus gave up his position as South Africa’s director of rugby to take on the role of head coach for the Springboks after Jacques Nienaber left for Leinster.
It has been suggested that Etzebeth, who returned from France to play for the Sharks in Durban in 2022–2023 instead of Kolisi, could take over as captain. The Springboks’ match against Wales in England is in just over seven weeks, and the second row has already discussed the captain position.
In an in-person interview with host Jim Hamilton for this week’s episode of The Rugby Pod, where the Sharks are now in London ahead of this Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final at Twickenham Stoop against Clermont, Etzebeth stated: “Whoever is captain, things won’t change.” Not much will change in our procedure.
“Like when Siya was captain, you’d get a guy on the field who would speak to the ref about lineouts or a guy, if we get together, he speaks about whether our physicality is up to standard or whether the work rate is up to standard, so I think that will stay the same.
“If I get the opportunity it would be wonderful. If I don’t get the opportunity, also wonderful – as long as I am ideally a member of the group. I am confident that the other team leaders will back the captain.
“Being the Springboks captain will always be the greatest honor in South African rugby, but it’s certainly not a huge train smash if I’m not. There are numerous excellent possibilities available.
Siya can still be captain, after all. He is a valuable member of this team and is currently playing rugby in France. Although we would much like him to remain captain, the coaching staff will ultimately decide who will hold that position. That guy has the support of all the other leaders.
