Ethan Hooker relishes first Test against All Blacks in nail-biting loss

It wasn’t the result Springbok newcomer Ethan Hooker wanted in his first Test against the All Blacks, but the utility back was chuffed to get his baptism of fire at Eden Park in Auckland.

Despite the nail-biting 24-17 loss on Saturday, the Bok bench, including Hooker, turned the tide for the side as they chased a first win at the iconic stadium in 88 years.

Although it wasn’t meant to be after a slow start to the game, the 22-year-old Hooker experienced his first Test against New Zealand and had a taste of what it feels like to face the Haka in front of a passionate and fired-up away crowd.

“It was a very surreal experience for me,” the utility back said.

“Just being at Eden Park and experiencing the vibe, the energy — it was unbelievable. I am very privileged to be able to say that I’ve played a Test match here. We obviously try to win every match we play, but we can take the learnings from this game and hopefully be better next week.

“The weather definitely played a role in how things went. We do lean towards a kicking game, but there are no excuses. The weather is part of rugby, and we have to deal with those obstacles.”

In his 20 minutes on the field, Hooker didn’t see too much of the ball on attack as what he probably hoped for, but he put in a few solid tackles and worked hard off the ball.However, he missed a crucial tackle that allowed New Zealand to score the match-sealing try shortly before the 70th minute.

Despite the defeat, the world champions are still in the race to defend their Rugby Championship title, but Hooker and his teammates know they must secure a positive result this coming weekend in Wellington.

The second Test will be played at Sky Stadium, with the Freedom Cup also on the line.

“The ultimate goal is still to win the Rugby Championship, and we’ll all look to get on the same page this week and grind it out. Hopefully, we’ll come out on top.”