Duel of the week: Eben Etzebeth vs Maro Itoje
Long-time rivals Eben Etzebeth and Maro Itoje will come face to face once again when England host the Springboks on hostile ground at Twickenham on Saturday.
We’ve been treated to some wonderful battles between these two over the years, most notably the 2023 World Cup semi-final and when Itoje toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 2021.
Both have been touted at the best second rower in the world and both will be equally determined to one-up the other to settle the ongoing debate about the leader in this position once and for all.
EBEN ETZEBETH: TOWERING SPRINGBOKS LOCK
The Springboks boast the most physical pack in world rugby and at the heart of that physicality is Etzebeth, the man who serves as their enforcer, a raging bull whose appetite for confrontation is triggered by his appetite for winning. If tempers flare at HQ on Saturday, Etzebeth is bound to be front and centre during the hostilities.
But Etzebeth’s contributions stretch way beyond simply being an enforcer. For all his physical prowess, Etzebeth is athletic in equal measure. In layman’s terms, just a freakishly good athlete.
Etzebeth excels over the gainline in the carries as well as at the set-piece; his kick-chase is otherworldly and his defence nous is right up there among the best in the world.
Will the world be treated to another gargantuan performance by Etzebeth? Time will tell.
MARO: LEADER OF THE ENGLISH PACK
Every bit as physical, uncompromising and unrelenting as Etzebeth, Itoje is probably the first name to get penciled in on the England team-sheet.
While he plays with less visible fury than his above mentioned counterpart, Itoje is equally competitive, relentless and destructive in his pursuit of success.
You only have to look at the highlight reels of England’s narrow defeats against the Wallabies and All Blacks in recent weeks, to see how influential and important he is to this English side.
Apart from often succeeding in disrupting the opposition’s lineout, Itoje is a menace at the breakdown, whether he wins turnover possession or simply slows down the ball; and a master in defence of opponents’ driving mauls.
In summary, Itoje is a nightmare to play against. And if England, as a collective, want to succeed in disrupting or least go blow-for-blow with Springbok pack, Itoje — as the agent of chaos up front, needs to set the tone for England. If not, the hosts could be in for a painfully long night.
WILL THE SPRINGBOKS STAR UPSTAGE THE ENGLISHMAN?
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