Bakkies Botha and Eben Etzebeth during their time playing together for the Springboks. Picture: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images
South African rugby fans are having a laugh at the on-going spat between Springbok enforcers Eben Etzebeth and Bakkies Botha.
The legendary Bok locks are caught up in a war of words following Botha’s criticism of Etzebeth’s injury-interrupted spell at French club Toulon.
Etzebeth is leaving the club before his contract expires to take up a position with the Durban-based Sharks.
Etzebeth hit back late on Monday on social media, telling Botha “You’ve got my number” and calling him out on critricising a fellow Springbok.
Rugby fans seem to have taken a humouristic approach to the argument between the two men.
Roarz, on Twitter, says the dispute could be avoided if they both spent a week at Joe van Niekerk’s jungle yoga retreat.
Former Bok loose forward Van Niekerk now runs a lifestyle retreat that involves organic farming in the jungles of Costa Rica.
Roarz adds in the tweet, “Not at the same time though.”
A well-known name on Twitter, Oom Rugby, also had something to say.
“Not many people know this, but current fight between Bakkies Botha and Eben Etzebeth was written about in Book of revelation in the bible. Anyway, they’re actually very different tighthead locks, one is Foreman, one is Ali.”
Dominic Lund says in a tweet, “Early prediction: the battle between Eben Etzebeth and Bakkies Botha is how the world ends.”
Ricky Harries said if the two locks were to get involved in a scuffle there would be only one winner – Botha.