Eben Etzebeth is back on the rugby field. (Photo: Jean Catuffe/DPPI via AFP)
Eben Etzebeth wears the number four jersey again on Friday evening when the Sharks play away from home against Connacht in a European Challenge Cup match.
The 34-year-old lock was banned for 12 weeks in December after sticking his thumb in Alex Mann’s eye. The incident happened in the dart box of the Springboks’ last match of 2025 against Wales in Cardiff.
Etzebeth will line up with Deon Slabbert in the Sharks’ lines and other Bucks such as Edwill van der Merwe, Makazole Mapimpi and Ox Nché will also serve in Galway.
However, the Durbanites have to do without stars like Siya Kolisi, Francois Venter, Grant Williams and Aphelele Fassi in the Irish city.
“Injuries indeed test a team’s character, but fortunately we got reinforcements. Eben is available again and hopefully his return will help us a lot,” said coach JP Pietersen.
We’re ready for knockout rugby ???????? pic.twitter.com/w6HOPJVOx3
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) April 2, 2026
Etzebeth explained his actions in Cardiff last year.
“I don’t want young children, who look up to the Springboks, to think that it’s okay to stick your finger in someone’s eye because it’s unacceptable. Unfortunately, you make mistakes and I’ve made a big one for which I’m sorry,” he said.
The two-time World Cup winner admits that other factors, and his reaction to them, played a big role in the incident and he shared two video clips on social media to underline the point.
An independent disciplinary committee suspended Oscar Jégou for just four weeks in March after he made contact with Ewan Ashman’s eyes in the Six Nations match between France and Scotland in Edinburgh.
- The action between the Sharks and Connacht starts on Friday at 21:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Sharks: Hakeem Kunene (full back), Edwill van der Merwe (right wing), Le Roux Malan (outside centre), Marnus Potgieter (inside centre), Makazole Mapimpi (left wing), Jean Smith (fly-half), Ross Braude (scrum-half), Nick Hatton (captain and eighth-man), Jannes Potgieter (flank), Tino Mavesere (flank), Deon Slabbert (lock), Eben Etzebeth (lock), Vincent Koch (prop), Eduan Swart (hook) and Ox Nché (prop). Substitutes: Ethan Bester, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Mawande Mdanda, Corné Rahl, Vincent Tshituka, Ceano Everson, Siya Masuku and Ethan Hooker.