SA rugby’s lock factory rolls on

There seem to be no end to South African rugby’s lock factory. One can go back in time to the great players who wore the No 4 and 5 jumpers for the Springboks like Frik du Preez, Tiny Naude, John Williams, Kevin de Klerk, Moaner van Heerden, Kobus Wiese, Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield. The list goes on and on.

When debutant lock RG Snyman added his name to the list against England last weekend he was asked this week why he thought SA just keeps on producing great middle-rowers.

“It’s interesting, but I think it’s because our big guys just love to have a go at one another, there’s major competitiveness,” he said jokingly.

“I don’t mind playing 4 or 5, as your five is really only the guy who makes the lineout calls,” he said.

At first it was thought to be only a Bulls thing, this lock factory with the likes of Johan Spies, Van Heerden, Williams, Botha and Matfield and now Snyman and Jason Jenkins all hailing from Pretoria.

But one mustn’t forget that Eben Etzebeth is a Capetonian and Lood de Jager a Bull but having first made a name for himself with the Cheetahs.

And with both ruled out of the entire June series due to injuries, it was thought the Boks would be in real trouble.

But such is the competitiveness that Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has created in the squad that guys like Snyman and Franco Mostert produced stellar, workmanlike performances in last weekend’s opening Test at Ellis Park.

But it created another problem for Erasmus, who said without putting the guys on the bench down who could “start at any time”, but that a guy like Pieter-Steph du Toit, who was moved to flank yesterday by Erasmus. deserved more than a bench role.

Which brings us back to the question of depth.

A player like Jason Jenkins was one of six released to their unions after producing a sterling performance in his debut Test against Wales in Washington DC, while another lock in Marvin Orie, who played off the bench, was retained.

It could create a problem for Erasmus when Etzebeth returns for the Rugby Championship, but he is after all a former Bok skipper and somebody who is regarded as a Bok first-choice at any given time.

It’s a nice problem for Erasmus to have as he builds “capacity” – according to him – in the national side.