'Lock at 12' or 'Agent of Chaos', Esterhuizen doesn't care for tags as long as he shines for Boks

Andre Esterhuizen has been called many things in his rugby life to date.

Jake White, in his short time as the Sharks' director of rugby back in 2014, believed his 20-year-old rookie from Klerksdorp was a flanker.

During a tough introduction at senior level, he was tagged as a proverbial crash-baller.

When he and Lukhanyo Am found their groove under Robert du Preez, the Durbanites' then head coach thought he was the best inside centre in the country.

His first season as a Harlequins star brought with it the moniker of 'Andre the Giant', a homage to the legendary 2.24m professional wrestler.

When he ripped opponents to shreds last season on his way to being nominated as English Premiership Player of the Season, Esterhuizen became the "Agent of Chaos".

The 28-year-old has been able to embrace them all.

Yet when told that Jerry Flannery, his lineout and defence coach at Harlequins, earlier this year called him a "tighthead lock playing in the 12 jersey", Esterhuizen can only summon a hearty chuckle.

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"Yeah, I don't know exactly how to answer that. I'm not quite sure what the thought process was," he said, ahead of Saturday's Rugby Championship meeting with Argentina where he'll be part of the bench.

"Jerry and I really enjoy a good relationship, we work together a lot on defensive matters."

As it turned out, Flannery just thought Esterhuizen - who admitted is a mountain of a man at 1.92m and 110kg - had become a "complete player" who "can catch and pass as good as anybody else".

With the World Cup in France just over a year away, Bok coach Jacques Nienaber simply couldn't ignore the claims of a man who's truly reinvented himself for the better.

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