Eben's fiancée Anlia van Rensburg sings national anthem as Bok legend honoured: 'I was trying to take in every moment'

The red carpet was laid out for Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, and he says it will take a while to sink in.

Etzebeth became the seventh South African to play 100 Test matches for his country, and he put in a massive performance to help his side to a 30-14 win over Wales in the third Test of the series. 

All week, the Springboks had looked to downplay the significance of Etzebeth's 100th Test, instead putting the main focus on the need to win the series. 

But when the 30-year-old ran out onto the Cape Town Stadium pitch in front of 51 000 people, South Africa stopped to honour a future great of the game. 

A huge structure with the words 'Eben 100' was wheeled out onto the turf and set ablaze when Etzebeth ran out before his fiancée, Anila van Rensburg, brought the house down by singing the national anthem. 

When Etzebeth was substituted deep into the second half, the crowd gave him a standing ovation as those on the Bok bench embraced him. 

"It was special having my family here with my dad in the stands and my fiancée singing the national anthem," said Etzebeth afterwards, adding that he had tried to savour the moment when he ran out onto the pitch.

"I have a little bit of a routine before every game, so it's not something new that I did," he said.

"When I came out, especially with those flames going, I was just trying to take everything in, singing the national anthem.

"In a couple of days or weeks, it will probably settle in how special everything was. I was just trying to take in every moment, but the most important thing was to get the victory. I think every guy in the team put their hands up tonight, and I thought they were exceptional."

Etzebeth also revealed that he had been sick on Friday,