Eben Etzebeth reveals where Challenge Cup win ranks in his long list of accolades
Eben Etzebeth after winning the Challenge Cup with the Sharks.
Springboks great and now Sharks legend Eben Etzebeth has ranked their Challenge Cup win as one of his best.
The Sharks have endured a horrid season in the United Rugby Championship, managing just four wins from their 17 league games to date. However, the Durban side found a safe haven in the Challenge Cup where they collected some momentum.
They would keep their tails up to eventually go on and claim the final 36-22 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. What came with that is a slice of history as they became the first South African team to win a European title and crucial qualification for the Champions Cup next season.
Massive turnaround
Etzebeth felt the Sharks put in their best performance of the season in the final and is delighted to have turned the season around.
“The motivation [to win] was more within the team,” said Etzebeth.
“To turn things around the way we did after where we were four or five months ago, was fantastic. There was a big drive to win the Challenge Cup as a silver lining to our season, which hasn’t been great.
“If you told us at the start of the season that we would win the Challenge Cup and qualify for the Champions Cup, we would have taken it.
“The victory was special, and it felt as though we left our best performance for last. The guys were just incredible, and the physicality was great.”
Biggest at club level
Etzebeth now has another trophy in his glittering career that includes two Rugby World Cups and the Springbok superstar felt it was his biggest achievement in club rugby.
“At club level this is by far the best memory. The last championship I won [at club level] was the Currie Cup in 2012, so it’s been 12 years,” he said.
“This is the first international trophy the Sharks have won and to become the first South African to win in Europe is definitely one of my best memories ever.”
Coaching relief
The title will come as a great relief to head coach John Plumtree who was tasked with rescuing the Sharks this season.
The coach was delighted with so many different facets of the game and praised his players for staying on course.
“We wanted to apply a lot of pressure up-front because we knew it would probably be their strength, so by taking that away, we knew we would have a good chance,” he said.
“I thought the scrum was outstanding, and the front-row’s drive was very good, and they earned the rewards for it. So was the pressure game from our kicking game.
“A lot of it was based around scoreboard pressure, which we had to keep building on, and credit to the guys for sticking to the plan.”
