'When I heard he was coming back, it put a big smile on my face' - Eben Etzebeth on return of Felix Jones

IRISH IN CAMP: Eben Etzebeth was delighted when Felix Jones returned to the Springbox camp.  Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Eben Etzebeth believes the strong Irish connection within the South African set-up could serve them well as they build towards this Saturday’s encounter between the same two nations at the Aviva Stadium.

Since the summer of 2024, ex-Munster and Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery has been part of the Springboks coaching team as their defence specialist – having previously worked under Rassie Erasmus during his stint with the southern province. Flannery’s former Munster team-mate Felix Jones played a key role behind the scenes as South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023, and even though he subsequently took up a position with England in the wake of the latter success, the Dubliner returned to the Springboks camp as an assistant coach earlier this year.

Speaking today, towering second row Etzebeth acknowledged he was delighted when he first heard that Jones was going to be back in harness with the Springboks.

Additionally, RG Snyman (Leinster) and Jean Kleyn (Munster) have been part of the South African squad for their ongoing end-of-season tour and with Killarney native Paddy Sullivan also on board as a performance analyst, the Springboks should have plenty of insight into how Ireland will approach this weekend’s clash.

“When I heard he [Jones] was coming back, it put a big smile on my face. We all know the quality of the guy and the work ethic. It's great to have him back,” Etzebeth remarked from the Radisson Blu St Helen’s Hotel in Dublin earlier today.

“The whole coaching staff, we've got quite a few foreigners in our group, but we don't really see them as foreigners anymore. We see them as part of the Springboks and they really make a difference. Get along with all of them.

“I think they've obviously got a bit more insight. You’ve RG and Jean Kleyn, so they will say a few things in the meetings. Just to help us prepare. I mean, it's professional rugby. Ireland will be smart and probably change some things, but it's nice to have that bit of insight.” 

While Etzebeth - his country’s most-capped senior rugby international - is expected to take up a spot in the South African second row on Saturday, it remains to be seen who his partner will be for their penultimate fixture of 2025 (they will close out the year against Wales in Cardiff on November 29).

Just 11 minutes into their win over Italy in Turin on Saturday, experienced lock Franco Mostert was issued with a permanent red card for a heavy tackle on opposition fly-half Paolo Garbisi. Springboks backs coach Mzwandile Stick revealed today at the Springboks’ media conference that Mostert is due to have a hearing later this week and that Lood de Jager is also appealing the red he picked up in a 32-17 victory at the expense of France in Saint-Denis on November 8.

These dismissals come on the heels of Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks) and Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls) missing out on the Springboks’ current tour after receiving lengthy suspensions arising from incidents in club games against Ulster and Connacht respectively. While he was doing his best to choose his words carefully, Stick admitted he didn’t think South Africa were being treated fairly by match officials in recent times.

“I don’t want to say things and then end up also being banned like Rassie in the past. Once again, if you look at the past four red cards with our players. We had Makazole Mapimpi suspended, who is not on tour at the moment. The guy is on 47 test matches, missed out on a tour to make it to the 50th.

“Jan-Hendrik Wessels, a youngster, also missed out. Suspended. Lood de Jager, which I feel after this weekend and everything that I’ve seen... Even the Fiji and the France game, the clean outs that were there. The Ireland game against Australia, situations that were even worse than what those guys have been suspended for.

“Then for them they’re suspended, but other players will come back and play this week. Surely somewhere somehow, this is not fair. I don’t think we deserve this as a team. We’re doing everything in our powers to make sure that we send the right message when it comes to how we play the game.

“We play in a good spirit, we’ve never talked bad about other teams. We always try and play in a good spirit, and hopefully things can just be between the four lines. Are we treated fairly? I don’t think so.”