- Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth and his wife Anlia celebrated their daughter Lia's first birthday with a pastel butterfly-themed beachfront party
- Anlia shared nine photos on Instagram with an Afrikaans caption, calling Lia their 'blue-eyed girl' and thanking Boho Bliss Events for the décor
- Fellow Bok wife Marise Pollard and singer Karlien van Jaarsveld were among those who flooded the comments section
Little Lia Etzebeth turned one, and her parents made sure her first birthday was nothing short of magical. Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth and his wife, singer and actress Anlia, pulled out all the stops for their youngest daughter's milestone, throwing a pastel-drenched, butterfly-themed celebration that had South Africans melting over the photos.
Source: Getty Images
Anlia posted a nine-slide gallery on Instagram, featuring a stunning pastel balloon arch in shades of pink, lilac, aqua and yellow, framed by white drapes decorated with paper flowers and backed by the open ocean. Guests sat beneath white macramé-trimmed umbrellas while a children's table was dressed with pink gift boxes and wildflower arrangements.
The birthday cake featured sugar flowers and butterflies with a white drip finish, and little Lia showed up in a pink embroidered dress complete with butterfly wings on the back.
Anlia's heartfelt caption
Anlia wrote her caption in Afrikaans, addressing Lia as their "blue-eyed girl" and expressing disbelief that an entire year had already passed. She reflected on how, through Lia's eyes, everyone and everything appears good and beautiful, and expressed her wish that Lia would always see the magic in the world around her.
She also described being Lia's mom and dad as a privilege, and gave a shout-out to Boho Bliss Events for putting the décor together.
''The Magical ONE…
Our precious blue-eyed girl... How are you a whole 1 year old!? 🥹 In your eyes, everything and everyone is just fine and beautiful.... Your spirit is the one of the softest softest, deepest deep and most beautiful.... May you always see the magic in everything and let the beautiful light that God has given you shine... What a privilege to be your Mom and Dad.... 🥹 🙏 🥹 🙏.''
The comments section lit up soon after. Marise Pollard, wife of Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard, wrote, "Congratulations dear Lia! Love you, guys."
Singer Karlien van Jaarsveld addressed Anlia as "sweetheart," while other followers described the birthday girl as a little princess and angel. The Pollards and the Etzebeths share more than just a rugby connection; Handré and Marise also welcomed a daughter in the same month Lia was born.
Take a look at the pictures in the post below on Instagram.
The Etzebeth family journey
Anlia announced Lia's arrival on 24 October 2025 with a photo captioned "One week of us." Before the birth, she had hosted a flower garden baby shower in Johannesburg, and the couple first revealed the pregnancy in May 2025, affectionately calling the baby their "little wildflower girl."
Lia joins her older sister Elizebedi, who was born on 16 January 2024. Eben and Anlia met in October 2021 and exchanged vows on 4 February 2023 at La Paris Estate in Franschhoek. Off the field, family life seems to be keeping pace with Etzebeth's achievements on it; he remains the Springboks' most-capped player, having earned 147 Test caps.
Source: Briefly News