Rugby
John Goliath, Special to ESPN 6y

Despite nerves, Eben Etzebeth is hoping to play full 80 vs. Argentina

Rugby, Rugby Championship

Eben Etzebeth doesn't look like a guy who gets nervous about anyone or anything. With two massive biceps and a chest that looks like it was carved out of stone, who can blame him?

But the Springboks lock will make play his first competitive rugby match in eight months when South Africa take on Argentina in their Rugby Championship opener in Durban on Saturday. So nobody will blame the 2.04m powerhouse if he has a few butterflies floating in the stomach after overcoming that serious shoulder injury.

On Thursday, after the Boks' team announcement, Etzebeth didn't give much away in terms of nerves. But his demeanour suggested that he was excited, thrilled even, to be back in the green and gold. He made jokes, threw in a bit of sarcasm and even declared that he missed talking to the media.

But he did say that all that matters in his comeback to the big time is getting through his first competitive match of 2018 in one piece.

"You can sit here and say you're ready, but at the end of the day Saturday is when the rest of the world is going to see if I'm ready to play again," Etzebeth said.

"Our practice sessions are pretty intense, it's almost like a game. But it's going to be the first time when there will be a couple of thousand people watching me play.

"I hope [Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus] plays me for the full 80 minutes; it will all depend on the coach and the medical team."

Etzebeth has a reputation of being a massive team man. It's probably why former coach Allister Coetzee appointed him captain of the team following Warren Whiteley's injury last year. So besides clobbering opposition players on the field, Etzebeth missed the camaraderie of the team environment while he was absent.

He said that it was quite emotional watching his teammates on television during the recent 2-1 series win over England but he was ready to make up for lost time.

"Doing rehab with a physio every day is a lonely world, so just seeing the guys and having Siya [Kolisi] as my roommate ... it's just great," he said.

"I was actually very emotional, especially watching the guys run out and sing the national anthem.

"When those guys line up and sing the national anthem, I think that's the best song I can sing. You obviously miss the jokes and everything in between, but in the end it's the 80 minutes on the pitch where you get to test yourself against the world's best and that's what you miss.

"I just love Springbok rugby and seeing them play and not being there was very emotional. Knowing I'm going to run out with them on Saturday is an awesome feeling."

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