The Springboks have a \u2018weird\u2019 lock combination for the second Test match against the All Blacks, Duane Vermeulen admits.<\/p>\n
This, after head coach Rassie Erasmus opted to rest star second-rower Eben Etzebeth, instead naming Ruan Nortje and Lood de Jager in the starting XV for the clash in Wellington.<\/p>\n
Etzebeth\u2019s absence is one of just two changes to the pack that started against New Zealand at Eden Park in Round Three of the Rugby Championship, with Jasper Wiese\u2019s return seeing Siya Kolisi shift to his more natural role on the side of the scrum.<\/p>\n
Eben Etzebeth\u2019s absence<\/p>\n
However, the non-selection of the most capped Springbok<\/a> of all time, means that Erasmus has effectively selected two loosehead locks in his starting XV.<\/a> Perhaps a ploy to rectify South Africa\u2019s lineout woes, but it is also due to the injuries to tighthead locks Salmaan Moerat and Jean Kleyn.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a rare occurrence for the Boks to line up in such a manner, but former loose forward Vermeulen, who works at a mobi-unit coach with SA Rugby, explained that it was necessary to give Etzebeth<\/a> a break.<\/p>\n The lock has played five of the Springboks\u2019 six Test matches this year, and his absence this week is with a view to ensuring he extends his career for a few more seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing is, you can\u2019t play Eben every single game; the guy is going to burn out, and we still want him to play for a couple of years,\u201d Vermeulen told reporters in Auckland.<\/p>\n Opinion: Springboks were \u2018outfoxed, outboxed\u2019 and deserved to lose to ruthless All Blacks despite perceived referee misgivings<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe need that little bit of rotation. We have RG on the bench, and those guys [Nortje and De Jager] have played big, important matches. Last year, when we were a couple of locks down, Ruan got the opportunity, and he really did well.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it looks pretty weird if you have two five locks in your pack, but they play their part and they know exactly what they want to do and where they want to go about their game. It\u2019ll be a good challenge to see if the guys can make a step up and work without Eben.\u201d<\/p>\n Marx shoulders the blame<\/p>\n The intriguing selection in the second-row comes off the back of underwhelming lineout performances from the Springboks in recent times, something that hooker Malcolm Marx has taken responsibility for<\/a>.<\/p>\n Marx will run out in the starting XV yet again with Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who impressed from the bench in Auckland, providing cover once again.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going to take some formal responsibility for it,\u201d the experienced hooker said at Monday\u2019s team announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cI have got to get the ball in right, make sure I\u2019m hitting it in the right areas where it has been called. It\u2019s also down to good contesting at the same time.<\/p>\n \u201cThe All Blacks prepped really, really well, especially on our four-man, and so you got to credit them. But I need to make a personal step-up in making sure that I\u2019m a bit more accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n