Jones' update signals Etzebeth likely to be fit for Ireland

Felix Jones also confirmed that there had been “no further update” from any disciplinary bodies in relation to centre Jesse Kriel.

Wed, 13 Sep, 2023 - 07:31

Brendan O'Brien

Felix Jones has delivered another positive fitness update on key South African second-row Eben Etzebeth ahead of their heavyweight World Cup Pool B meeting with Ireland in Paris next Saturday week.

Etzebeth came off 26 minutes into the Springboks’ opener against Scotland in Marseille last weekend with a shoulder injury and Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus said subsequently that it looked like a 7-10 day rehab period for the player.

That would leave him able to face Andy Farrell’s side in what is the biggest pool game left in the entire tournament with four more rounds still to play. Jones, the former Munster player and coach and current Bok assistant, painted a similar picture on Tuesday.

“Eben is still, as of this morning anyway, a seven-to-10-day injury, so he won't be available for selection this weekend [against Romania]. But I don't think he was directly in the plans to play this weekend regardless. That seven to 10 days, or whatever it will be, might change on a daily basis depending on how he progresses.”

Jones also confirmed that there had been “no further update” from any disciplinary bodies in relation to centre Jesse Kriel for his early tackle on Scotland's Jack Dempsey when he made contact with the No.8's head.

The 36-hour citing window had already passed as he spoke.

Erasmus had already suggested that they were unconcerned about the issue, insisting that Kriel’s initial contact had been below head height, but the world champions will have no difficulty doing what’s required against the Romanians in Bordeaux regardless of available personnel.

Ireland claimed 82 points against the Eastern Europeans despite conceding the first try and taking a time to find their stride but Jones adhered to the pre-game code when complimenting a side that is in for a long five weeks in France.

“I know after the game Cristian [Chirica], their captain, spoke almost directly to the fans at home in Romania, saying how they were putting in so much effort to make sure that they are doing themselves and the people back home proud.

“Romania are obviously a very proud nation. They won't take a backward step and they'll meet us at the fore in terms of the physicality that they'll bring. They have some quality in the backline with [Jason] Tomane and [Hinckley] Vaovasa, the fly-half/full-back.

“They've got some guys there that can threaten. They've got quite a big-distance kicking game, which can put you deep back into your own half if you're not alive to it. Plenty of threats for us to be aware of and to try to negate.”

That’s the mannerly take. The reality is that the Boks will rotate massively for a game that is so well within their compass but one that they will still be keen to win by as wide a margin as possible given the possibility that points difference may yet be a thing in Pool B.

Jones spoke about the importance of player management during the team’s latest media conference and how it has been a consideration all year. The willingness of Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber to mix and match throughout 2023 has backed that up.

Among the players likely to be given a first shot at a World Cup engagement is Canan Moodie, the immensely talented and versatile 20-year-old, who has made most strides on the wing but shone in the centre against the All Blacks in Twickenham.

And he can do a job at full-back too.

“Canan deserves everything that he is currently achieving,” said Jones. “The guy is just unbelievably professional. He takes care of himself, he keeps his feet on the ground, he does his work, he connects with the guys around him, and it's never with an air of anything but humility.”

Moodie is the kind of player that all coaches must dream about working with. Jones has had four memorable years working with a roll call of world-class Springbok talent although the weekend just passed was encouraging for him in terms of his own next step.

South Africa’s 18-3 win against a good Scottish side was obviously the focus but there was an expectedly emphatic win for England, the team he joins as assistant coach after this tournament, in their opening tie against Argentina the night before.

It was just one among any number of compelling storylines on the first weekend of a competition that will run through to the end of October and, for Jones, one that reinforced the sense of a title that is within the grasp of more sides than ever.

“The competitiveness of the World Cup is coming out in a lot of teams. The opening game was a great endorsement for the game and how closely fought that was between New Zealand and France. Our game could have gone either way for large passages. It was a really tightly fought contest.

“Then you look at that Wales-Fiji game: just an outstanding advertisement for World Cup rugby. I think everyone will agree there’s a number of teams that can not only win the tournament, but that can now progress into the knockout stages. In general it's just been a great opening to the tournament.”