Time out on sidelines has Etzebeth raring to go for Boks' home season

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has allayed fears around his fitness ahead of the international season as the double Rugby World Cup-winner looks forward to adding to his South African record 131 caps in a busy year for the national side.
The 33-year-old has been one of the Springboks' most influential players in the last decade and a key element of their back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023, but is coming off a club season with the Durban-based Sharks plagued by injury.
'I didn't have such a good run at the Sharks with injury and concussion that kept me out for about four-and-a-half months,' Etzebeth said on Wednesday.
'It wasn't ideal, but I recovered and got a few games towards the back-end of the season. I just suffered a small setback in training just before the [United Rugby Championship] semifinal.

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