I will give everything for my country, promises Springbok lock Ruan Nortje

Springbok lock Ruan Nortje says it has not fully sunk in that he is about to achieve his childhood dream of playing for the Springboks against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

The 27-year-old featured in the Boks’ two home victories over the All Blacks in last year’s Rugby Championship, but he has not faced the old foe on their own soil — let alone at Eden Park, the New Zealand fortress where the All Blacks have won their last 50 matches, stretching back to 1994.

In fact, of the match 23 selected for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash in Auckland, only veterans Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi have played at Eden Park before.

“It is an unbelievable privilege for me to play against New Zealand in New Zealand,” Nortje said. “It is these games that you dream about when you are playing in your backyard as a kid.

“When I look at the players featuring on both sides, I understand how fortunate I am to be a part of it. It still hasn’t sunk in for me. I think maybe on Friday, as the game approaches, I will fully appreciate the honour and the occasion.”

Nortje will be playing in his tenth Test, having made his debut off the bench in the defeat to Wales in Bloemfontein in 2022. Since then, he has started in the second row in every match, with coach Rassie Erasmus tasking him with emptying the tank before the arrival of the so-called Bomb Squad.

On Saturday, though, it will be a smaller version, with Erasmus opting for a 5-3 bench split. Still, the Springboks will be able to call on serious firepower in Wilco Louw, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Kwagga Smith and Lood de Jager, the latter replacing Nortje.

“It is vital for me to go out there and give everything for my country. I will empty the tank,” Nortje promised.