Eben Etzebeth. Photo: AFP / Jean Catuffe
Springboks v All Blacks
Kick-off: 3am Sunday 1 September (NZT)
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport
While the All Blacks have had issues in the locking department this season, their opponents this weekend are facing a major injury withdrawal of their own.
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is in doubt for the clash at Ellis Park in Johannesburg with a knee complaint, joining a big casualty ward.
"Franco (Mostert), Lood (de Jager) and Jean (Kleyn) are also out and while it may seem like a crisis, we see it as an opportunity to increase our depth at lock and we want the next players to show us what they can do," said assistant coach Deon Davids at the team's hotel.
"Yes, we have a few injuries amongst our locks, but it's part of the game and Pieter-Steph (du Toit) and Ruan (Nortje) had good games in our last outing. It's never nice to lose experience, but this will open up opportunities for other players to put up their hands and show what they can do at the highest level."
That is a positive spin on a potentially big problem for the All Blacks to target, with Etzebeth taking with him 124 test caps worth of experience. Salmaan Moerat, who captained the side earlier this season against Portugal, is also out after suffering a concussion in the Springboks' 30-12 win over the Wallabies in Perth.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is now going through the same issue that his counterpart Scott Robertson did in the All Blacks' one loss this season, when injuries ruled out Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu against the Pumas in Wellington. Tuipulotu is still sidelined however Barrett is expected to return this weekend after having surgery on an injured finger.
Of course, this season was always going to be a tough one for the All Blacks at lock after the test retirements of Samuel Whitelock and Brodie Retallick last year. However, Sam Darry has made the step up to test level well, it will be an interesting call to see who if Robertson opts to start him on the weekend in place of Tupou Vaa'i.