Springboks quickly add Eben to the team after injury scare

Eben Etzebeth is eligible to play for the Springboks against New Zealand at Ellis Park on Saturday after completing all training sessions this week. He has been placed on the bench for the Rugby Championship match.

Etzebeth, who was initially not selected for the Springboks' Game 23 in the first of two Tests against their southern hemisphere arch-rivals due to an injury concern earlier this week, replaces Marco van Staden on the bench, giving the team a specialist backup to the starting line-up of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ruan Nortje.

If he gets playing time, the test would be Etzebeth's 125th.^th in the green and gold jersey, which would see him overtake Bryan Habana as the second most capped Springbok of all time and move one step closer to Victor Matfield's Springbok Test record of 127 caps.

RASSIE ERASMUS ON EBEN ETZEBETH'S INCLUSION

“Our selection policy has always been that a player who doesn't train on Monday doesn't play on Saturday. But Eben has been training all week without any pain, so we had to make the difficult decision to call him up to the squad at Marco's expense,” said Erasmus.

“In the first squad we had alternative options on the safe side, but with Eben on the bench we have another specialist for this position in the team.

“We are fortunate to have an extended squad of around 45 players who are all involved in our plans and know what is best for the team. It is admirable how Marco has taken the news. It shows what quality he has as a player and a person.”

Meanwhile, Erasmus released four Springboks – Steven Kitshoff (prop), Manie Libbok (link), Canan Moodie and Makazole Mapimpi (both wings) – to their provincial unions on Wednesday afternoon in order to get playing time in the Currie Cup this weekend.

WILL ETZEBETH MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SPRINGBOKS?

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