Coetzee may very well be enjoying his lock ‘problem’

A NICE HEADACHE to have. That is how Springbok coach Allister Coetzee would answer the question of who he should select to partner Eben Etzebeth in the second row for Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks in Albany, near Auckland.

Captain Etzebeth will be in the No 4 jersey but at No 5 should it be Franco Mostert or Pieter-Steph du Toit? There is even Lood de Jager in the background doing some serious thinking about his relative fall from grace, but he is unlikely to be in the running for a starting berth this weekend.

Mostert, the workhorse that has been consistently reliable for the Lions and the Boks all year was given a rotational break against the Wallabies last week and Du Toit, who has been up and down this year for both province and country, seized his opportunity and turned in a Man-of-the-Match calibre performance.

He grasped his chance and was all over the show, either on the charge with ball in hand, taking clean line-out ball, putting in big hits or hitting rucks with intensity.

It was the kind of performance that we expect from a 25-year-old of his pedigree and physical dimensions. Heck, when he was at the Sharks, John Plumtree said that they had to have special grips put on the bars in the gym for Du Toit because his hands were too big for the standard barbells.

“Hands like hubcaps,” as Plumtree put it regarding the grandson of the famously powerful Springbok prop of the ‘60s Piet “Spiere” (muscles) du Toit.

But after 26 Tests and a move from Durban back to his native Western Cape, has Du Toit lived up to his billing? Yes and no. He has had his good games and others where he has tended towards anonymity.

In the other corner, so to speak, has been Mostert, who has been the heart and soul of the Lions pack, and also that of the Boks this year when he was given a chance.

The ultimate team man, Mostert, just puts his head down and gets on with it. No airs and graces. Just 110 percent hard work, match after match. You know what you are going to get. His work ethic is epic.

De Jager, arguably the best Springbok forward at the 2015 World Cup, has not reached those heights since and perhaps he will have watched Du Toit’s stand-out performance last week and will be inspired to lift his game when he gets a chance.

There will come a time when even a machine like Etzebeth will need a break.

But for now, does Coetzee go for the dependable workhorse in Mostert or the stallion that blows hot and cold in Du Toit?

I don’t think there should be too much of a debate. While Du Toit is potentially a world beater, you can bank on Mostert.

Pieter-Steph needs to deliver more consistently, but should take heart from his outstanding performance against the Wallabies, and work his way back into a regular starting position.

Mostert should start against the All Blacks. We know we will get blood and guts and honest endeavour from him. Du Toit meanwhile, knows he has a fight on his hand if he wants to start for the Boks, and that can only be a good thing for the national team. –