He didn't even make his senior debut for western province yet, he had a breakthrough season with the stormers and went straight to the springboks instead of playing currie cup with western province
As a South African I want to say yes. As a purist, it's tough. Johnson and Eales were legends, AWJ was a stalwart. Even as a purist, Eben has to be the most complete locking forward of all time.
I think so. A few years ago I would have said Brodie Retallick, he hit a level rarely seen but Eben has taken it to a whole other point and he does it week in week out Honourable mention to Martin Johnson. Two who were before my time but who I hear great things about are Colin Meads and Frik Du Preez
I never like going into who is the best but he has to be the best ever Lock for SA. If Victor Matfield says hes better than both him and Bakkies, you have to listen
Its between Fourie Du Preez..Joost..Eben..Frik..and it looks like PSDT is climbing up the ladder. Habana has to be up there aswell. If Habana retired in 2014.at the age of 31 .. he would have easily been in our top 5.
all great shouts. Os Du Randt also right up there. I never saw Danie Gerber play myself but from the older generation they all speak incredibly highly of him
@@greeruguru ofc Os and Danie..these rankings are not to be taken too seriously.. as its impossible to compare players in different positions. We can do a depth chart per position top 3 in each position.
You all are missing the point there have been many brilliant Springboks - this is a tribute to Ebens achievements no a competition to identify who you personally think is the best Springbok ever - fact is he is the most capped for a reason - sluk a bietjie meer Klippies en chill broer
Social Media rules have changed a bit nowadays, so Clutch stayed away. LOL....but very noteworthy! What was even more ingrained about that memory was the two of them sharing a laugh, joking, at the after math function! This IS RUGBY!!!!! Peace out my friend. And keep watching!
PTSDT over the last few years has shown he is a monster in the game and amazing but let's not distract the discussion about Eben who has 122 caps versus 85
Leave the ‘my dad is better than your dad’ conversations at your primary school. When adults enter into debates about ‘best of all time’ in any category, they are only proving the extreme limitations of their ‘intellect’.
Recency bias most likely. I don't think anyone has written Francois Pienaar out of SA rugby history I think he's well appreciated for what he achieved and held in very high regard. Could be a case of his time being very short in the green and gold whereas some of the guys like Eben and PSDT have been in the team for 10+ years while Francois Pienaar was only there for about 3-4 years. Incredible leader and great player but I think that could be the reasons he's not spoken about as much as you'd hope
@@DkoutsPienaar was never known to e the best flanker..he had Tiaan Strauss to contend with. He was the leader if the Lions team in the early 90s and they won the super 10sand Currie Cups around that time. Kitch chose him as his captain. 95 happened. In 96..the boka started losing to the ABs regularly and Markgraaf didnt want to pick him. Pienaar was never a great but being the 95 captain will always be cherished by all.
You all are missing the point there have been many brilliant Springboks - this is a tribute to Ebens achievements no a competition to identify who you personally think is the best Springbok ever - fact is he is the most capped for a reason - sluk a bietjie meer Klippies en chill broer
Sorry to burst U're BUBBLE Eben the Best Lock ever to play the game.Martin Johnson was a good lock,but not that great.Eben is the most PERFECT lock ever in every way u can think of.❤
an old professional trick utilized by sports agents--always add an inch here, take away a few pounds there....for the eye test of potential teams, but you are probably correct✔️✔️✔️
He's a bruiser, but I've never seen him as a dirty player. Unlike the filthy players the Springboks have had as locks before. Matfield was a headhunter, but Mark Andrews was one of the dirtiest players to have ever played the game.
What is scary, is he may enter that realm, after crossing the 200 games achievement. Hopefully he gets there. Springbok rugby is simply too great to just make a decision like that without looking back over a 100+ year history. There have been great Springbok rugby players.
That is unlikely. South Africa plays roughly 10 matches per year, hence Etzebeth has played about 13 years and has 128 caps. To play another 70, he'd need another 7 years, or play until he is about 40. Very few players have managed this.
hey SW while I agree with your premise, it seems you make no provisions for the emotional leader, may not be the captain, but sets the tone for the game by that one big hit💥 appreciate the discussion 🫡
Francois Pienaar was a average player,nothing Special about him.Definitely not DESERVE to be on the Springboks Great list SORRY.In his prime Mr pienaar,wouldn't make the Boks team.In his time the Boks team was average,maybe 3 Good players in the side.And he wasn't 1 of the 3🤨🤨
We love our Eben. Go from strength to strength Eben.
All the very best 👊💚💛🇿🇦
💪💪
Great player, Springbok hero
The fact he never has a bad game and never injured, his IQ is great and at his age is able to charge up next to Cheslin when chasing balls
facts
It is actually incredible how consistent he is
All time great lock, and a fucking pain in the ass for our ABs for the last 10 odd years.
hey bro you gotta check our new vid! and please sub to Clutch!
Love these vids, Bro. Keep it up! 👏🏻
Thanks Bro, please subscribe to Clutch
@ClutchRugbyXV Already did. Keep up the good work! 💪🏻
TY @SB 🫡
the second he bounced Bizmark I recal having the thought he's arrived. Great player
Always in awe at this man!
yup and thanks for watching!
Bloody brilliant and im an ABs supporter
Kia Ora bro, then you must subscribe to Clutch Rugby🙏
Big fan from🇫🇯❤
bula!
Eben is the greatest lock ever, and Faf is the best scrumhalf. The best fly-half is still up for question...
His lack of injuries being so heavy and fast makes him a bit of a freak.
that’s what fitness does!!!
And considering how physical he plays its unbelievable
fax!
Man is an absolute beast!
Yup, you gotta watch our BOMBSQUAD vid💪
Este jugador es una legenda 👏👏
Thank You for watching! Gracias Amigo (I hope that is correct). Please subscribe and keep watching!
@ 🤙
He didn't even make his senior debut for western province yet, he had a breakthrough season with the stormers and went straight to the springboks instead of playing currie cup with western province
yup, straight thru
Is Eben Etzebeth the best lock of all time ?
Hey good to see you @Dk. They say he’s the GOAT.
As a South African I want to say yes. As a purist, it's tough. Johnson and Eales were legends, AWJ was a stalwart. Even as a purist, Eben has to be the most complete locking forward of all time.
@@danielgrobbelaar9672thanks for watching!!
Great rugby player. Eben is like Zlatan’s younger and bigger brother!
totally random comment, but somehow hits the target😂🎯
How dare anyone even question
I said back in 2011 or2012 He would be a all time Great That South African side with other All time Greats. Just AWESOME
thanks for connecting with Clutch!
Great prediction 👏 and he keeps getting better
@@Dkouts❤
Eben and Pieter Steph.
and they still have a few more years to get even better
Hey @gg whats happenin' bro👍
That day a reporter compared him to Bruno! Eben was not pleased! 🤣
Bruno?
Yes he is
ditto
Has anyone noticed how he doesn't have coliflower ear?
Cauliflower ear is scared of Eben Etzebeth too😂
@@greeruguru 💀💀
@@greeruguru Classic comment - Chuck Norris style🤣
Is eben the best number 4 who have ever played the game?
I think so.
A few years ago I would have said Brodie Retallick, he hit a level rarely seen but Eben has taken it to a whole other point and he does it week in week out
Honourable mention to Martin Johnson. Two who were before my time but who I hear great things about are Colin Meads and Frik Du Preez
Right up there and he still has years to play
I never like going into who is the best but he has to be the best ever Lock for SA. If Victor Matfield says hes better than both him and Bakkies, you have to listen
👌
definetly!
Its between Fourie Du Preez..Joost..Eben..Frik..and it looks like PSDT is climbing up the ladder. Habana has to be up there aswell. If Habana retired in 2014.at the age of 31 .. he would have easily been in our top 5.
all great shouts. Os Du Randt also right up there. I never saw Danie Gerber play myself but from the older generation they all speak incredibly highly of him
@@greeruguru ofc Os and Danie..these rankings are not to be taken too seriously.. as its impossible to compare players in different positions. We can do a depth chart per position top 3 in each position.
Os Du Randt is a bad man! 👊👊👊
This video was about a bad baaaaad man who just gained 128 tests from one of the most powerful Rugby nations on the earth #respek
You all are missing the point there have been many brilliant Springboks - this is a tribute to Ebens achievements no a competition to identify who you personally think is the best Springbok ever - fact is he is the most capped for a reason - sluk a bietjie meer Klippies en chill broer
How can you not show the fight against Australia
Social Media rules have changed a bit nowadays, so Clutch stayed away. LOL....but very noteworthy! What was even more ingrained about that memory was the two of them sharing a laugh, joking, at the after math function! This IS RUGBY!!!!! Peace out my friend. And keep watching!
have you seen that clip? You won't find this is any other sport, only rugby!
He is, but then PSDT is even better.
PTSDT over the last few years has shown he is a monster in the game and amazing but let's not distract the discussion about Eben who has 122 caps versus 85
spoken like a fan!
Eben Etzebeth or Martin Johnson
Vote down below 👇
🟢🟡
@@Dkouts Mr Etzebeth
Eben
@@Balance-v8x 😎
I didn’t realize Martin Johnson was Springbok😅
See ooks stormers can spawn good players
Leave the ‘my dad is better than your dad’ conversations at your primary school.
When adults enter into debates about ‘best of all time’ in any category, they are only proving the extreme limitations of their ‘intellect’.
1.Who says we are all adults?
2. It is not compulsory for you to watch the post.....
3. Who pissed you off?
@@battievandermerwe9121 I think we found Maro Itoje's burner account 🤣🤣
Why has Francois Pienaar been written out of SA rugby history? He is one of the greats. Not to take anything from Ebin, who’s awesome.
Recency bias most likely. I don't think anyone has written Francois Pienaar out of SA rugby history I think he's well appreciated for what he achieved and held in very high regard.
Could be a case of his time being very short in the green and gold whereas some of the guys like Eben and PSDT have been in the team for 10+ years while Francois Pienaar was only there for about 3-4 years. Incredible leader and great player but I think that could be the reasons he's not spoken about as much as you'd hope
@@DkoutsPienaar was never known to e the best flanker..he had Tiaan Strauss to contend with. He was the leader if the Lions team in the early 90s and they won the super 10sand Currie Cups around that time. Kitch chose him as his captain. 95 happened. In 96..the boka started losing to the ABs regularly and Markgraaf didnt want to pick him. Pienaar was never a great but being the 95 captain will always be cherished by all.
You all are missing the point there have been many brilliant Springboks - this is a tribute to Ebens achievements no a competition to identify who you personally think is the best Springbok ever - fact is he is the most capped for a reason - sluk a bietjie meer Klippies en chill broer
Martin starting. Eben from the bench...😅
Who's partnering Martin then?😅
Eales ?
either way EE wears No 4️⃣
💪
my son has a John Eales jersey with No 2 on it….so when folk say it’s wrong, he say “no it’s 2 RWC wins”
So Eben needs a No 3 Jersey…..🤔3 RWC 🏆
Sorry to burst U're BUBBLE Eben the Best Lock ever to play the game.Martin Johnson was a good lock,but not that great.Eben is the most PERFECT lock ever in every way u can think of.❤
💚🇿🇦💚🇿🇦👏🏼🐑👏🏼👏🏼🇿🇦🇿🇦💚💚💚
He's actually 6'8
an old professional trick utilized by sports agents--always add an inch here, take away a few pounds there....for the eye test of potential teams, but you are probably correct✔️✔️✔️
@@ClutchRugbyXV ohh I see
@@bjornkruger28 thank you bro, for watching, peace!
Eben another two world cups!!
lets go for 1 first, shall we...
Bakkies all the way
He's a bruiser, but I've never seen him as a dirty player. Unlike the filthy players the Springboks have had as locks before. Matfield was a headhunter, but Mark Andrews was one of the dirtiest players to have ever played the game.
The Europeans will disagree 😂
😅
How about the Kiwis and Aussies 🤔
@LebohangMathe let them 😂🇿🇦
What is scary, is he may enter that realm, after crossing the 200 games achievement. Hopefully he gets there. Springbok rugby is simply too great to just make a decision like that without looking back over a 100+ year history. There have been great Springbok rugby players.
200!!!!! that would settle all discussions!!!!
That is unlikely. South Africa plays roughly 10 matches per year, hence Etzebeth has played about 13 years and has 128 caps.
To play another 70, he'd need another 7 years, or play until he is about 40. Very few players have managed this.
May be great with SB, but barely existent in Top14. Obviously, the toughest championship in the world is too tough for him...
they couldn’t stop him from from scoring under the posts bruh!
2nd maybe to Frik , Victor or Bakkies lol
isn't that 5th....either way I respect your choice
No he is not. If your team loses, your having a bad game, you didn't play well enough, your a piece of the loss.
hey SW while I agree with your premise, it seems you make no provisions for the emotional leader, may not be the captain, but sets the tone for the game by that one big hit💥
appreciate the discussion 🫡
not even in the top 10 springboks of all time
🆗 who’s your 🔝🔟 ❓
So , who?
he has lots of competition but I would say he is in the top 10
@@johnmeinhardt-jensen7713danie gerber best springbok ever ..
Francois Pienaar was a average player,nothing Special about him.Definitely not DESERVE to be on the Springboks Great list SORRY.In his prime Mr pienaar,wouldn't make the Boks team.In his time the Boks team was average,maybe 3 Good players in the side.And he wasn't 1 of the 3🤨🤨