Fri 3 Aug 2012 | 12:34
Young lock Eben Etzebeth smashes Bismarck Du Plessis to the floor

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Comments

If you didn't know it already, young Eben Etzebeth has arrived, in a big way. The recently capped Springbok lock put down a marker early on against the Sharks in the Super Rugby semi final, smashing legendary hooker Bismarck Du Plessis to the floor.

You may have seen what happened but with many requests to get this posted, and after a busy week and some much needed time off, we've now added this to the RD archive of Big Hits.

Sharks hooker Du Plessis, notorious as a hard man himself, was put on his backside by the young Etzebeth, a player that many are already touting to be the next great Springbok lock.

With Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha both now out of the picture, Etzebeth has stepped up and while he's still just 20 years old, has shown that he can throw his 6ft8, 120kg weight around.

There are many stories about his family, namely his father and uncles, being hard men of the Cape.

Tough as nails uncles Cliffie and Skattie both had that reputation, and when current teammate Andries Bekker's father - former Springbok Hennie - spotted big Eben playing in the backline for a second team in high school, he enquired as to who the speedy youngster was.

Upon hearing he was an Etzebeth, he immediately took notice.

A late bloomer, playing wing and center up until the second last year of high school, Etzebeth has since become an imposing physical figure that has put a lot of hard work into his impressive frame.

"He does have an amazingly proportioned physique," coach John Dobson told SA Rugby magazine. "In fact, his biceps are something of a talking point around him. They’re massive and when we have fines meetings we make him show them off as a party trick. He is just ridiculously strong.

"Eben is not as dirty as some locks who fulfil the role he does but he is also no angel. Let’s put it this way, I wouldn't like to cross him on the field.

"In fact, I wouldn’t play against him at all. He’s scary."

Expect to see much more of young Etzebeth in the coming years, and during the Rugby Championship, where he will no doubt add to the three Test caps he picked up against England.

One of the best things about this moment is that we now have proof that Bismarck is in fact human. Despite being knocked out the way by the double decker bus though, he shrugged off the blow and soldiered on, contributing to the Sharks victory and helping them reach the Super Rugby final.

View Highlights of the Stormers vs Sharks semi final

9 Comments

  • stroudos
    10:35 PM 05/08/2012

    Facepalm, that is brilliant! Spot on. Would like to see you tell him to his face though!

  • stroudos
    8:36 PM 05/08/2012

    Jean De Villiers = "Zorro" from A View To A Kill.
    Bakkies Botha = "Biff" the school bully in Back To The Future.
    Zane Kirchner = Krusty the Klown, (ok not as scary but probably the most uncanny lookalike)

  • pretzel
    11:47 AM 04/08/2012

    Yeh, I'd agree with that, many a times you see "tall" players flattened when Bismark-esque players hit the chest and grab a leg (as Bismark tried to do)....

  • katman
    11:03 PM 03/08/2012

    He said 75kg, so understandably incredulous.

  • 10:52 PM 03/08/2012

    Facepalm comment aside, and quite funny as well, does any country produce more Hollywood looking baddies then the republic? Burger, pienaar, and now etzebeth, look at that picture! Couldn't u see him as some real sinister baddie boss's henchman?

  • hendogo
    8:04 PM 03/08/2012

    Who Dat Who there.

  • pretzel
    6:51 PM 03/08/2012

    This guy is not impressive at all.......he says as he hides the green eyed monster he has become...

  • pretzel
    6:49 PM 03/08/2012

    Almost 100% sure he said 75kg... not 35kg...

  • facepalm
    5:31 PM 03/08/2012

    Knocking Bismarck Du Plessis off his feet is a sign of superhuman-like abilities. Even if he does bode a striking resemblance to this loveable childhood character - http://www.entertainmentwallpaper.com/images/desktops/movie/bruno11.jpg