By Adnaan Mohamed
The Springboks’ 73–0 evisceration of Wales in Cardiff should have been remembered purely as a victory of ruthless precision, a night when Rassie Erasmus’ men turned the Principality Stadium into a eleven-try scrapyard.
Instead, the Test has been plunged into global debate after Eben Etzebeth, the most-capped Springbok in history, was shown a red card for alleged eye-gouging. This incident that happened just before the final whistle to mercifully end the Welsh carnage, has dominated headlines from Cape Town to Cardiff.
While the Boks celebrated an unbeaten season and a flawless November tour, the image of Etzebeth leaving the field cast a long, uncomfortable shadow. Critics, former internationals, fans and pundits have fired up social platforms, arguing everything from “stone-cold red” to “unintentional and harsh.”
The timing was especially jarring: a night designed to honour Springbok milestones became a night consumed by disciplinary outrage.
Coach Rassie Erasmus did not try to sugar-coat it.
“It didn’t look good, and I thought it was a justified red card,” he admitted.
A rare moment where Erasmus openly conceded a fault on an evening when everything else went right.
Reinach Reaches 50: A Milestone Deserving More Light
Lost beneath the Etzebeth storm was a story that deserved to headline the night: Cobus Reinach finally reaching his 50th Test, a feat 11 years in the making.
The 35-year-old Bok scrumhalf, who buzzed around the breakdown like a hornet with a fresh battery pack, called the honour a dream fulfilled.
“It’s always special just to put on the Springbok jersey… If it’s cap one or cap 140 like Eben, it’s special.
But playing my 50th Test was definitely great,” he said.
“It’s every boy’s dream to play for the Springboks and having done that 50 times is unreal. It’s a privilege and something I’ll always be thankful for.”
That this milestone arrived during a historic win, and in a season where the Boks finished world No.1, made it sweeter.
“It wasn’t just about the end-of-year tour. It was about the whole season,” Reinach reflected.
“We learned and adapted more than previously, and I think we grew immensely as a team.”
The veteran scrumhalf, still as sharp as a new studs-on-soft-ground boot, even dared to dream further.
“I definitely want to play another one or maybe two World Cups,” he smiled.
“I feel good… it’s just my hairline moving back a little, and my beard getting thicker.”
His gratitude extended to the beating heart of Bok rugby: the supporters.
“From London to Wales, France, Ireland… thank you. We are one. We can’t do what we do without you.”
A Night of Dual Narratives: Dominance and Disruption
The Etzebeth incident ignited a worldwide rugby firestorm precisely because the Test was so lopsided. At 73–0, the Springboks were in full command. The back-to-back World Champions were ruthless, clinical, and controlled, suffocating Wales like a python tightening with every carry.
But the red card, shown late in the second half, shifted the conversation from dominance to controversy. Analysts have already begun dissecting angles, freeze-frames and intent, with disciplinary hearings expected to become the next battleground.
Yet, amid the noise, Reinach’s golden milestone, the Boks’ unbeaten tour, and their world No.1 finish remain significant markers of a team still evolving and still hungry. Reinach himself summed it up best:
“The way we work for each other and how tight-knit we are is special. If we keep that, there’s a lot more in the tank.”
