Best Boks v Scotland: Etzebeth The Alpha Male at Murrayfield

Eben Etzebeth was the alpha male at Murrayfield as the Springboks powered to a 30-15 win over Scotland on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The world champions’ slow poison kicked in after the break, which saw the bruisers in green and gold overturn a 10-8 half-time deficit to claim a convincing victory.

Here are our top three Springbok standouts:

Eben Etzebeth

I’ve long been of the opinion that the enforcer label, while on brutal brand, puts a lid on Etzebeth’s all-round excellence and his monstrous Man of the Match performance at Murrayfield was a perfect showcase of the Springbok veteran’s full wrath.

It was clear from the onset, when he barged the ball up three times during South Africa’s first siege on the Scottish try line, that the second-rower was in some type of mood and that he maintained that output and intensity for the full 80 minutes was a sight to behold for Springbok supporters and nightmare fuel for the rest.

Looking more like a loose forward than a lock, he did the hard yards and then some, even chasing kicks. Ball carriers and defenders alike would’ve been sick at the sight of the hulking 30-year-old storming straight at them with a ruthlessness that told the story of a fire that burned as bright in what was his 96th Test as it did during his debut against England back in 2012.

Aside from making a pack-high 12 carries, 40 metres and eight tackles, the best of the bunch being the bone-crunching hit on Finn Russell, he was good in the lineouts – where his contesting led to a turnover in the ninth minute – and he was harshly penalised rather than rewarded for a fair breakdown turnover.

Makazole Mapimpi

The Springboks’ apex predator dealt the Scots a double blow with two well-taken tries. In doing so, the lethal left-wing continued to blaze the phenomenal trail of having scored against every country he’s played against.

Mapimpi’s magic far extended his brace of tries. He was absolutely everywhere, his lion heart shining through in his willingness to outwork the other outside backs. When he got the ball in congested spaces, he competed for every inch (running for an unrivalled 116m in all) and regained what was a rare contestable kick before the introduction of Cobus Reinach.

In terms of his tries, the 31-year-old showed his trademark speed two burn two Scots for his first and excellent hands for the second…just reward for the hard work he put in.

Damian de Allende

An excellent early leg drive over the advantage line set the tone for what turned out to be a titanic showing by the tenured inside centre. De Allende did his primary job of being a consistent source of go-forward ball with distinction (78m from 10 carries) but he was so much more than that.

He showed what a complete player he’s become over the past few years by having a key hand in both of the Springboks’ tries. The second was a piece of breath-taking finesse we’ve come to expect from his long-time midfield partner – an audacious offload that sent Mapimpi away.

The 29-year-old was big on the other side of the ball as well, shoring up his channel and winning a turnover on the deck in the 39th minute.

Honourable Mentions

Ox Nche was an unstoppable force at scrum time. His mauling of Zander Fagerson was primal, like something you’ll find on the wildlife channel. The Sharks behemoth won three penalties in the set-piece during his dominant 40-minute outing, the pick of them being the beastly shove in the 21st minute.

Captain Siya Kolisi continued his excellent form with another spirited showing, which included a well-timed pass to Mapimpi for the flyer’s first try. Meanwhile, Lukhanyo Am picked his spots and it was his turnover that led to the tourists’ opening try.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.