FOR Ben-Jason Dixon, playing against the All Blacks on Saturday is the stuff schoolboy dreams are made of.
He still can’t quite believe he is a Springbok flank.
The 26-year-old Stormers utility forward made his debut off the bench in the match against Wales a few months back, and has subsequently started against Portugal and in the recent Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane.
“You grow up a Bok fan and you plan your week around the Bok Test on the Saturday, and then suddenly you are among the superstars and experiencing it,” the 26-year-old said.
“And to now be starting a Test against the All Blacks is surreal.
“I have been living on the momentum and excitement... The moment has not come fully where I can sit back and say, ‘Wow, this is massive’, but I am enjoying myself and making the most of it.”
Dixon says he was a bundle of nerves when he was first called up to the Springbok camp in June, but it was the most capped Bok in the squad, Eben Etzebeth, who took him under his wing.
“Something that stood out for me is a conversation I had with Eben soon after I joined the camp for the first time,” Dixon said.
“He told me about what being a Springbok meant to him and about how he gets up for games. He spoke about his hunger to compete and his desire to win.
“He said that as he plays and gets more experience, he gets hungrier to win and more passionate about the jersey,” Dixon added.
“You can see that he plays with his heart on his sleeve. You see how he celebrates winning the small moments in the game and the big moment of victory.
“I’m feeding off Eben’s energy and passion to give his best for the Boks.”
Etzebeth’s inclusion on the Bok bench yesterday means that Dixon is no longer required to move to lock in the second half when one of Pieter-Steph du Toit or Ruan Nortjé goes off, with a lock replacing them from the bench.
Jozi weather: Sunny and warm with a chance of rugby 😉#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/SzA1HV9SDD
Marco van Staden drops out of the match-day squad to make way for Etzebeth.
“It simplifies my job a bit (having Etzebeth on the bench), but I am working on having full confidence to play lock,” Dixon said.
“But maybe it is a good thing to have more time now to train in that (second row) role.”
As it stands, he will be playing in the No 7 jersey usually worn by Du Toit, and he accepts he has massive boots to fill.
“I have watched the (2023) World Cup final a few times, and looked specifically at what Pieter-Steph did,” Dixon said.
“But my game is a little different, and can I make 28 tackles on Saturday against the All Blacks? Look, I love tackling, but I don’t know if I can match what he did in the final.
“It is just going to be lekker to be in the same team as him.
“We will be on the field at the same time and performing different roles, but yes, there is a lot of stuff I learned from him that I will be trying to implement. And it gives me confidence that he will be close by.”
Dixon is one of the new generation of Springboks who never played Super Rugby.
He says his only experience of playing against New Zealanders was at Under-20 level when the Junior Boks played the Kiwis for third place in the 2018 world championship.
“I can’t wait to experience playing the All Blacks,” he said.
“I’ve watched them play (on TV) countless times. I pick up that some teams stand back when the Boks bring their physicality, but not the All Blacks. They will give you 80 minutes of tough rugby. I’m nervous, but excited.”
On Etzebeth being cleared to play after initially battling with a knee niggle, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said yesterday: “Our selection policy has always been that if a player does not train on a Monday he will not play on Saturday, but Eben has made it through training pain-free all week, so we had to make the tough call to name him in the squad at the expense of Marco.
🚨 BREAKING: Eben Etzebeth has been cleared to face New Zealand on Saturday and will start on the #Springboks bench - full story here: https://t.co/BEAW9sBhoy 🥳#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/koDzlH1juE
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 28, 2024
“There were back-up options for us at lock in the initial squad, but with Eben on the bench, it means we have another specialist in that position in the team.
“We are blessed to have an expanded squad of about 45 players who have all bought into our plans and who understand what’s best for the team, and it’s admirable how Marco accepted the news. It shows the quality of the player and person he is.”
Springbok Team
15 Aphelele Fassi 14 Cheslin Kolbe 13 Jesse Kriel 12 Damian de Allende 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 9 Cobus Reinach 8 Jasper Wiese 7 Ben-Jason Dixon 6 Siya Kolisi (capt) 5 Ruan Nortjé 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit 3 Frans Malherbe 2 Bongi Mbonambi 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Malcolm Marx 17 Gerhard Steenekamp 18 Vincent Koch 19 Eben Etzebeth 20 Elrigh Louw 21 Kwagga Smith 22 Grant Williams 23 Handré Pollard.