New twist in race for Bok captaincy
MASSIVE BLOW: DAMAGED SHOULDER RULES HIM OUT Whiteley feeling his way back after lengthy injury.
The Springbok rugby captaincy is set to become an even hotter potato and a three-horse race with a few new twists being thrown on the table.
The three leading candidates – lock Eben Etzebeth and No 8s Warren Whiteley and Duane Vermeulen – have fallen in and out of contention due to various reasons involving injury and overseas commitments.
Etzebeth is the latest casualty, with shoulder damage ruling him out for the next three months, but while he could miss a large part of the Stormers Super Rugby campaign, he could recover in time for the June Test series against England, the world’s No 2 side.
Whiteley in turn has been troubled by a groin injury since the second French Test last season, which saw Etzebeth taking over the Bok leadership for the remaining 11 Tests of the year of which five were won, four were lost and two drawn.
Whiteley has been making his comeback in Japan and is believed to be in the running for the Lions’ Super Rugby warm-up match against the Bulls at Ellis Park on January 27.
The imminent return of Vermeulen could, however, add another twist to the tale.
It is believed from overseas reports that Vermeulen will end his stay at Toulon in France after the current European season to take up a dual contract with SA Rugby and the Stormers, a similar deal that Lions hooker Malcolm Marx took up the end of last season.
Saru Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is believed to have played a major role in these negotiations as he has always had a close relationship with Vermeulen from their days at the Cheetahs and the Stormers.
A clearer indication on the position of national coach Allister Coetzee will only be obtained in the next few weeks once meetings have taken place between himself and Erasmus and the executive council.