Pollard hails Etzebeth as Test record looms: 'What he's doing is unbelievable'

Etzebeth currently has 126 international appearances for the Springboks after making his debut for the four-time world champions against England in Durban in 2012.

The 32-year-old Springboks enforcer has been named on the replacements bench for the Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday and, if he takes to the field in that match, he will equal fellow second-row forward Victor Matfield's record of 127 Test appearances.

Matfield himself said recently that he has no qualms with Etzebeth breaking his record which is set to happen when the Boks and Los Pumas meet in the final Rugby Championship Test of the year in Nelspruit on September 28.

And Pollard believes Etzebeth fully deserves the honour of being South Africa's most capped player.

"What Eben's doing - and I would say going to do going forward because he's not stopping anytime soon - is unbelievable," said the 30-year-old, who will make his second successive start at fly-half for the Boks.

"Playing at this level, to get 50 games is special. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment. To get to 100 is just unbelievable and to do what he's doing is something that we've never seen in the past.

"I am very, very proud to be associated with Eben. He is one of the ultimate Springboks ever. He loves the Springboks, maybe just second to his family.

His work rate, work ethic, week-in and week-out, he is always training hard, always helping the team, always putting the team first.

"It takes a special person to do that. If he equals it this weekend and breaks it next week in Nelspruit, it will be a very special day."

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