Beast Mtawarira, who was part of the initial conversations that brought Eben Etzebeth to the Sharks, has shed further light on to why the Springbok lock chose to move to Durban.
In one of the biggest rugby transfer stories of the year to date, Etzebeth signed a five-year contract with the Sharks after successfully negotiating an early release from his contract with Toulon at the end of the season.
Etzebeth will be at the Sharks until 2027 and joins Bok teammates Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit, Makazole Mapimpi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am and Aphelele Fassi in Durban.
In an interview with Sport24, Mtawarira, who serves on the Sharks board, explained how they enticed Etzebeth to sign on the dotted line.
“He wanted to come back home, and he loved what the Sharks were doing,” Mtawarira told the website. “He sees the culture, he sees one of his best mates and see himself fitting into the team like a glove.
“Siya Kolisi gave a good testimony of what the Sharks are all about, and Eben got excited. Marco [Masotti] then worked very hard to make it work for him, financially, and everything else.
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“When he signed on the dotted line, it was such a massive victory. It just showed the Sharks’ vision and where we want to go: creating a culture of excellence.
“For that to happen, you need to have a core group of players that can lead the way in creating that environment. And it’s not just the players. They are trying to create an excellent coaching structure. All the additions are going to contribute significantly to where the Sharks want to go.”
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