Minutes after Ireland’s 38-3 thrashing of South Africa, we were down in the media area waiting for the press conferences and gathered around a TV showing the footballers in action again Denmark.
Former Munster and Springboks centre Jean De Villiers teetered into the room with the look of a man who had encountered an apparition deep in the bowels of Lansdowne Road.
“Bet you weren’t expecting that,” I said as we shook hands [instantly reminding myself to ratchet down the smugness].
“No,” he said, before repeating himself – “No” – and taking a seat in the corner.
De Villiers is retired two years now and is now just as helpless as the rugby-loving South African public to halt the current slide. Eben Etzebeth, the current Springbok captain, looked similarly powerless on Saturday night.
Before the game, he spoke of how “flipping tough” Ireland would be but he surely didn’t expect such a mauling.
The Stormers lock is one of the best in the world but he was mercilessly trampled by opposite number Iain Henderson in a shuddering moment that captured the essence of Ireland’s victory. The Irish forwards were the dominant force and Henderson’s bulldozing carry joins that of fellow Ulsterman Stephen Ferris’ ragdolling of Will Genia in the pantheon of statement-makers.
Etzebeth’s fellow lock Lood de Jagr also felt the full ‘Hendy’ force in what was his best game yet in an Ireland jersey.
Following the game, that charge was the talk of the town. “It was unbelievable”, Devin Toner told us:
“Especially when you have someone who is the talisman like Etzebeth, he’s their captain, he’s renowned for being the physical man on the pitch.
“When you see Hendy stand up to him and get the better [of him], it’s brilliant for the team and gives you a real gee-up.”
“When he was coming through,” Toner added, “they didn’t call him ‘the man-child’ for nothing. He’s a monster in the gym and a monster on the pitch. It’s really good for Irish rugby, seeing him turn into the player that he can be.”
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt simply beamed when speaking of the Ulster second row.
“He was big. I know when he broke the tackle of Etzebeth, at one stage, he would have felt pretty pleased about that.”
Typical of Schmidt, he then mentioned that Henderson would surely find work-ons and improvements needed from his role in Ireland’s record win.
Interestingly, Etzebeth is listed for 9 successful tackles and 0 missed on ESPN Scrum.
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