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Cape Town - This past weekend’s on-field ‘scuffle’ between Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager will not impact negatively on their working relationship at the national team, Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan has assured.
Things got heated between the duo in last Saturday’s Super Rugby clash between the Stormers and Cheetahs at Newlands.
Kiwi referee Glen Jackson had to stop proceedings and give both players a stern lecture after they had wrestled each other to the ground.
After Jackson had warned them, there was no conciliatory handshake between the two and it made many fans wonder whether there was any love lost between the two lock giants.
However, when probed on the matter at a Springbok training session in Stellenbosch on Tuesday, Van Graan assured that the issue has been put to bed.
“Lood and Eben are big mates,” said Van Graan. “I think the great thing about rugby is that despite everything that happens between the four lines on a Saturday, afterwards it’s wonderful for coaches and players to have a beer together and to be able to laugh about it.
“These things happen in the heat of the moment. Rugby is a collision sport. There’s already been a few jokes made about it this week, but we’ve put it behind us.
“Once you get to the Boks you forget about the franchises, you pull this green jersey over your head and you focus on the Boks.”
