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One of the biggest questions the Springboks need to answer when looking to the future revolves around who can take over from Eben Etzebeth when he eventually hangs up his boots.
It’s largely been a year to forget for Etzebeth as he’s battled with injuries, while also needing to sit out a large part of action at the start of the year while serving a lengthy ban for an eye gouge.
The 34-year-old has 147 Test caps to his name, and has become such a mainstay in the Springbok team that it has started to feel like he’s become almost irreplaceable.
However, the Springboks will very quickly need to find a solution as Etzebeth will miss the next four Tests in November at a time when RG Snyman is also unavailable.
The Springboks will head on tour with five specialist locks, although Riley Norton is uncapped and unlikely to feature in the high-pressure games against Ireland and France.
Erasmus could view Norton as a long-term successor to Etzebeth, but the 20-year-old does still need time to be gradually integrated at international level.
Looking short term, other locks touring with the Springboks are Ruan Nortje and Franco Mostert. However, both are out-and-out No 5 locks.
That leaves Lood de Jager and Salmaan Moerat in the travelling group, and it’s this duo who will have a big job to do in trying to fill the boots left behind by Etzebeth.
One wonders whether the Springbok coaches may have given any consideration to calling up giant lock JJ van der Mescht after he was on the national radar earlier this year, but that does seem to be a project delayed for now.
For now, it’s over to De Jager and Moerat to prove the Springboks do have capable options beyond Etzebeth.
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