Despite the racist slur he made 14 years ago that is coming back to haunt him, Andre Esterhuizen was upbeat after being handed the captain’s armband to lead the Springboks in today’s Test match against Australia in Perth. Kick-off is at 11.45am (SA time).
In 2012, Esterhuizen was banned for a year after he called Thabo Molete, who was then first-team coach at Potchefstroom Gymnasium, the racist “K word”.
And this week, after coach Rassie Erasmus named him as captain for the once-off Test – Esterhuizen will become the 68th Bok skipper in history – there has been a huge outcry and call to remove him as the skipper.
In yesterday’s press conference in Perth, the 32-year-old was shielded from answering questions related to the racist comments he made when he was 18.
However, he was ecstatic about leading the team for the first time: “Being a leader at your franchise prepares you, but also in saying that it’s so much easier here with so many guys around you that are all leaders,” Esterhuizen was quoted as saying on the SA Rugby website.
“They help you in different areas of the game. So, to step up into this is quite comfortable.
“Ultimately, it’s about what we all do together on the field. I’m taking it on as an honour and I’m very happy about it, but in the end it’s about the squad.”
Asked if he had learned any lessons about the role from regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who was released from the camp ahead of Sunday’s Test, Esterhuizen said: “If you look at Siya, he’s been a tremendous leader for the Springboks.
“I’ve obviously played with him at the Sharks, and just always seeing him remain composed and calm, no matter what the situation, is amazing. He knows when to step back and when to step up, so I’ve taken a lot from him.”
- Andre Esterhuizen was named captain of the Springboks for the Test match against Australia in Perth, becoming the 68th Bok skipper in history.
- In 2012, Esterhuizen was banned for a year after using a racist slur against Thabo Molete, then first-team coach at Potchefstroom Gymnasium.
- There has been a significant outcry and calls for Esterhuizen to be removed as captain due to his past racist remarks.
- Esterhuizen was shielded from questions about his 2012 racist comments during a press conference in Perth.
- Esterhuizen praised former captain Siya Kolisi’s leadership and composure, citing it as a lesson for his own captaincy.
Despite the racist slur he made 14 years ago that is coming back to haunt him, Andre Esterhuizen was upbeat after being handed the captain’s armband to lead the Springboks in today’s Test match against Australia in Perth. Kick-off is at 11.45am (SA time).
In 2012, Esterhuizen was banned for a year after he called Thabo Molete, who was then first-team coach at Potchefstroom Gymnasium, the racist “K word”.
And this week, after coach Rassie Erasmus named him as captain for the once-off Test – Esterhuizen will become the 68th Bok skipper in history – there has been a huge outcry and call to remove him as the skipper.
In yesterday’s press conference in Perth, the 32-year-old was shielded from answering questions related to the racist comments he made when he was 18.
However, he was ecstatic about leading the team for the first time: “Being a leader at your franchise prepares you, but also in saying that it’s so much easier here with so many guys around you that are all leaders,” Esterhuizen was quoted as saying on the SA Rugby website.
“They help you in different areas of the game. So, to step up into this is quite comfortable.
“Ultimately, it’s about what we all do together on the field. I’m taking it on as an honour and I’m very happy about it, but in the end it’s about the squad.”
Asked if he had learned any lessons about the role from regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who was released from the camp ahead of Sunday’s Test, Esterhuizen said: “If you look at Siya, he’s been a tremendous leader for the Springboks.
“I’ve obviously played with him at the Sharks, and just always seeing him remain composed and calm, no matter what the situation, is amazing. He knows when to step back and when to step up, so I’ve taken a lot from him.”
