Eben Etzebeth’s 'freakish' gym records puts most rugby stars to shame

Wednesday, 03 September 2025 at 07:17

byRugby Rucker

When it comes to rugby’s modern enforcers, Eben Etzebeth sits in a class of his own. With 132 Springbok caps and two Rugby World Cup titles already secured, the 33-year-old lock is carving out a legacy that places him among the greatest of all time.

At 6ft 8in and over 19 stone, Etzebeth is South Africa’s heaviest player — yet his athleticism is every bit as jaw-dropping as his size. His 19-inch biceps are almost the width of a rugby ball (24 inches in circumference), and his gym records are the stuff of legend.

Bench press: 175kg and climbing.
Custom dumbbells: 75kg each — because the standard gym kit simply isn’t heavy enough.
Speed: 40m in 5.11 seconds, reaching a top speed of 17.4 mph. For comparison, Usain Bolt covered 40m in 4.64 seconds during his prime.

The combination of raw strength and rare mobility explains why Etzebeth has been at the heart of the Bok pack for over a decade. He’s not just a lineout dominator or bruising tackler — he’s the kind of athlete who sets the physical standard in world rugby.

A True “Freak of Nature”

Teammates and opponents alike describe Etzebeth as a

freak of nature. Few players of his size have ever been able to move with such speed and aggression. Whether it’s smashing rucks, bullying scrums, or galloping down the touchline like a flanker, the man from Cape Town continues to redefine what’s possible for a lock forward.

Former Bok coach Rassie Erasmus once said Etzebeth brings “a unique intimidation factor,” and it’s not hard to see why. His presence alone shifts momentum — and when he adds his monstrous work rate, South Africa become near-impossible to outmuscle.

Focus Shifts to Eden Park

Etzebeth’s freakish conditioning will be tested again this weekend as the Springboks face the All Blacks at Eden Parkin the Rugby Championship. South Africa haven’t beaten New Zealand in Auckland since 1937, and with the All Blacks boasting an unbeaten record at Eden Park stretching back to 1994, history is firmly against the world champions.

But if there’s one player who relishes the challenge of shattering records and silencing crowds, it’s Eben Etzebeth. His battle with New Zealand’s tight five will be a collision for the ages, and the Boks will need every ounce of his power and leadership if they’re to rewrite history in Auckland.

With both teams level on points in the Championship standings, Saturday’s clash is shaping up as more than just another test — it’s a statement of who really holds supremacy in world rugby.

“Goodbye Caterpillar ruck” – Four more rugby law changes for 2025

Rugby thrives on a mix of tradition and evolution, but some laws may no longer serve the game as effectively as they once did.

As the sport grows faster, stronger, and more tactical, certain laws stand out as ripe for reconsideration—not to upend the game, but to make it fairer, safer, and more exciting.

We highlight four specific laws that, with thoughtful updates, could better reflect the way rugby is played today. These ideas come from a deep respect for the game and a desire to see it flourish for players and fans alike.

World Rugby has shown it’s willing to adapt in recent years—these could be the next steps in that evolution.

1. Fewer Substitutions

Rugby has changed significantly over the years, and one of the biggest shifts is how the bench is used. These days, teams often bring on almost an entirely new forward pack late in the game. Big, fresh players crash into tired defenders, making the final 20 minutes less about skill and endurance, and more about brute force. Many fans and former players feel this has turned rugby into a collision sport rather than a contest of stamina and intelligence.

Reducing the number of substitutions would encourage players to pace themselves. Space would open up in the second half, creating more opportunities for creative play rather than endless phases of pick-and-go. It would reward fitness, smart decision-making, and those capable of performing for the full 80 minutes.

Fewer substitutions wouldn’t just make the game more exciting—it would make it fairer, safer, and more in line with the spirit of what rugby has always been about.

With the rise of 6–2 and even 7–1 bench splits, pioneered by Rassie Erasmus, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction. That’s all the more reason to act now.

2. Scrap the Caterpillar Ruck

The caterpillar ruck is one of those tactics that, while legal, just doesn’t sit right with many who love the game. It involves players lining up behind a ruck in a queue, giving the scrum-half extra time and space to kick.

It slows the game to a crawl, gives the defence no real chance to compete, and often feels more like a way to kill momentum than build it.

It may be clever, but it’s not entertaining. Fans want to see fast, hard-fought rugby—not box-kick after box-kick with a queue of bodies shielding the kicker. Eliminating or limiting the caterpillar ruck would speed up the game and reintroduce unpredictability at the breakdown.

This isn’t about removing strategy. It’s about keeping the game flowing and true to what makes rugby exciting: dynamic, contested play.

Referees have improved at calling “use it” earlier, which helps speed things up, but more needs to be done. Getting rid of the caterpillar ruck would go a long way toward fixing the issue.

3. Remove the 20-Minute Red Card

The 20-minute red card was introduced as a middle ground—punishing dangerous play without completely ruining a match. But let’s be honest: it sends the wrong message. If a player commits a reckless or dangerous act, 20 minutes off the field doesn’t always feel like enough—especially for serious offenses, like a high tackle that could end an opponent’s game or season.

Rugby has made major strides in protecting players, especially around the head and neck. Keeping the full red card—where the offending team plays a man down for the rest of the match—reaffirms that commitment. It makes the consequences clear: cross the line, and your team suffers. That’s how you change behaviour.

Yes, it’s tough. Sometimes it may seem harsh. But safety must come first. It’s about respecting the game and the long-term health of every player on the field.

In many ways, the 20-minute red gives officials a cop-out. It’s often seen as the easy option to avoid controversy—even when a full red card is justified.

4. Outlaw the Lineout Maul

Few things in rugby divide opinion quite like the driving maul from a lineout. For some, it’s a show of power and coordination. But for many fans, it feels like a loophole — a near-guaranteed way to score that sucks the creativity and unpredictability out of the game.

A well-drilled pack can set up a maul five metres out, trundle forward almost unstoppably, and fall over the line for a try. Where’s the skill in that? It’s become rugby’s cheat code — more about physics and numbers than ingenuity or flair.

Outlawing the maul as a direct scoring weapon would open the game up. Instead of endless rolling rucks towards the try-line, teams would need to find inventive ways to use space, pass under pressure, or outsmart the defence. That’s what gets fans on their feet.

Defenders, too, would benefit. At the moment, they’re often left with little option but to illegally collapse a maul, leading to a penalty or yellow card. Take away the automatic try-machine, and we’d see fewer cynical infringements, less frustration, and a fairer contest.

The maul will always have a place as a tactical tool in the middle of the pitch — but when it’s allowed to dominate the scoreboard, it turns rugby into something it was never meant to be.

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