Etzebeth admits he was 'targeted' by Irish media

If there is someone who has a score to settle with the Irish, it is Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who admitted on Tuesday that he had been “targeted” by the Irish media after comments he made about the team after their World Cup win in Paris last year.

Etzebeth appeared on The Rugby Pod earlier this year, where he said Ireland’s players were “arrogant” to tell the Boks they would “see you in the final'' after their pool victory over the Springboks.

In the end Ireland lost in the quarterfinal to New Zealand, who would eventually meet the Boks in the final, which South Africa won 12-11 to claim back-to-back World Cups.

Etzebeth’s comments were seized on by Irish media and blown out of proportion in reaction ahead of the two-test series in South Africa that starts on Saturday.

But on Tuesday, Etzebeth stood by his comments and said he believed the Irish media had targeted him ahead of the series.

“Yeah, I would say the Irish media definitely targeted me after that incident,” Etzebeth said on Tuesday.

“I said what I said.”

He then went further.

“I see a lot of them said, ‘How could you count exactly to that certain amount?’ You obviously give an estimate. It was definitely at least six or seven and was not more than 20 of them. So, I just gave an estimate.

“We will never, after a game, tell a team that we’ll see you in the final if there is so much rugby still to be played.

“Maybe that was their way of saying that we are a good side and that we might make it all the way through, but people interpreted what I said wrong and took it out of context.”

'YOU CAN'T BE ARROGANT IN THIS GAME'

Etzebeth’s quotes on the pod were innocuous at best, but were certainly blown out of context by the Irish media.

“After the game, you shake the guys’ hands and probably 12 out of the 23 told me, ‘See you guys in the final’,” he said on the pod.

“That remark that they made – ‘see you guys in the final’. I just thought these guys were making a big mistake to look past probably the most dominant team in the last 20 to 30 years of test rugby. Surely, they can’t.

“It just felt like they were just so confident saying things like that when you know you got the mighty All Blacks coming up in a World Cup quarterfinal.

“Obviously, it is good to be confident, but you can never be arrogant in this game.”

Etzebeth will win his 121st cap on Saturday, and is closing in on Victor Matfield’s Springbok record of 127 caps for the national side.

But at the same press conference, he admitted it gets a lot tougher as you get more caps.

“It feels like the pressure increases, the more games that you play,” Etzebeth said.

“You understand more about what it’s about, how important it is, how big it actually is. As you get older, there’s only so many years left, so many opportunities that you can get.

“So every test that I’m part of is very special to me. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against. It’s not about who you are playing against, it’s who you are playing for.

“When you wear that green and gold jersey, you give your all to make sure you come off that field as winners.”

In what world can a rivalry be reborn? ⚔️

The Castle Lager Incoming Series is here!

📺 First Test kicks off this Saturday in Pretoria. pic.twitter.com/mSJTR1b8XI

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 1, 2024