Eben Etzebeth has revealed how leadership failures and player discipline within the Springbok squad left him disillusioned during two key periods early in his Test career.

Eben Etzebeth has revealed how leadership failures and player discipline within the Springbok squad left him disillusioned during two key periods early in his Test career.

Inhis new autobiography Unlocked, the 33-year-old Test centurion recalls how, as a 23-year-old rookie on the 2014 end-of-year tour, he lost faith in some of the senior players he had idolised.

“It was a strange time for me, because I had looked up to those senior players since I was a kid, and they could do no wrong in my eyes,” Etzebeth writes.

The moment came after the Boks beat England 31-28 at Twickenham to extend their unbeaten run against the hosts to 12 Tests. But tensions had been simmering behind the scenes.

“Some senior players turned up late for a meeting and another was late for the jersey handover on Friday,” he writes. “[Coach] Heyneke [Meyer] was furious the following week and told the senior players he wanted nothing to do with them. He basically withdrew his services for the match against Italy and handed the reins over to [assistant coach] Johann van Graan.”

Etzebeth also opens up about discipline problems in 2016 under then coach Allister Coetzee.

“The discipline in the group was not very good and some guys on the fringes of the starting team decided it was a good idea to go partying just a few days before our match against the All Blacks in Durban,” he recalls.

“South African journalists found out about it, which created a bad feeling in the group. There was a feeling that we lacked an effective leadership group – experienced players who were not afraid to tell the younger guys how real Springboks behave.”

The All Blacks thrashed the Boks 57-15 at Kings Park.

“I don’t remember any booing that day, but the silence was actually worse. When supporters boo you, it shows they care, while silence means they have no hope for you.”

Etzebeth says the lack of accountability after the loss was even harder to stomach.

“A few guys who went out drinking before the game came back after the game and went out partying. How a player handles defeat tells me a lot about them, and I’m always frustrated with my teammates who aren’t as hurt and angry as I am.

“I’ve never understood the philosophy of ‘on the booze, win or lose’. If you accept defeat, it makes you a loser. I’ve sometimes said to my teammates: You don’t seem to be hurting enough.”