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We look at some of the biggest talking points after Rassie Erasmus named his matchday squad for Saturday's second Test against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
It would be fair to say that both the Boks and their fans were left with their pride somewhat wounded after last Saturday's opening Test in Pretoria. After all, not only were they playing Italy, but a young and inexperienced Italy at that, one missing several of its star players.
After their impressive start to the season against the Barbarians, another potential rout looked to be on the cards, but the Italian side that pitched up at Loftus clearly hadn't read the script, because after weathering a first-half storm, they bounced back superbly after the break, outscoring the Boks 21-14 as the vaunted Bok 'Bomb Squad' - for once - failed to ignite.
It was an outcome few expected, and one that left Bok coach Rassie Erasmus and captain Jesse Kriel feeling less than pleased with their efforts on the night.
The new-look side set to do battle in Gqeberha might not be a direct response to last weekend's performance - after all, Erasmus has been clear about his intentions to rotate the squad during the early part of the season - but there's no doubt he will be expecting a strong response from the team selected to do the job.
Backup players get a chance to shine
One of the main drawbacks to the Boks' impressive depth in recent years is that there are many hugely talented players in the squad who don't get nearly as many opportunities as they deserve. This is through no fault of their own, but simply because they happen to be stuck behind world-class starters.
Take Makezole Mapimpi, for example, who has been in top form for the Sharks this season but unfortunately (yet understandably) finds himself behind Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse in the wing pecking order. His wing partner Edwill van der Merwe, meanwhile, has found opportunities even harder to come by.
Or what of hugely talented centres like Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie and Lukhanyo Am, who are chomping at the bit to take the field but are forced to play understudies as the two human wrecking balls - Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel - get the nod.
And with so many players deserving of a starting position in the second row, it is unavoidable that some will find opportunities harder to come by than others. Bulls hardman Ruan Nortje and Stormers lynchpin Salmaan Moerat may already have proven themselves at the highest level, but that doesn't mean the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert (to say nothing of RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn) are ready to stand aside.
This weekend, then, will provide these backup players with a rare opportunity to strengthen their cases and succeed against an opponent where some of their fellow players failed to impress.
The likes of Mapimpi, Van der Merwe, Moodie, Esterhuizen, Nortje and Moerat will be eager to grab the opportunity with both hands, and how they fare against this brash and confident young Italian side is sure to be one of the most intriguing subplots of the match.
A rare opportunity for Evan Roos
Stormers bruiser Evan Roos is arguably another backup player who has found opportunities hard to come by amid the Boks' talented group of loose forwards, but in truth, he has rarely even been able to raise himself to the level where he can be considered a backup.
Roos has not always gotten the opportunities in the green and gold that many feel he deserves, with some speculating that Rassie simply isn't a big fan of the hard-charging No 8 - though the Bok coach has denied this.
Despite a sterling season for the Stormers, Roos was once again conspicuously absent when Erasmus named an extended Bok training squad earlier this year, but the 25-year-old has nevertheless been given a rare chance to start on the bench for this weekend's clash.
Fans will be hoping he grabs the opportunity with both hands and makes a case for his ongoing inclusion - one that the Bok coaches simply won't be able to ignore.
100 up for Bok playmaker Willie le Roux
Saturday's match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be a special one indeed for veteran fullback Willie le Roux, who will become only the eighth player in Springbok history to reach 100 caps.
It's been a long, hard road for the 35-year-old to reach the milestone, with Rassie recently admitting that Le Roux probably didn't get as many chances as he deserved earlier in his career.
The mercurial backline star's stock rose with age, however, allowing him to become a key member of the Springbok squad in later years, with his uncanny eye for spotting a gap or a pass that will unlock the opposition defence cementing his place as one of the most creative and intelligent playmakers in the green and gold.
Le Roux has made a career out of reading the game two steps ahead and delivering game-changing moments of brilliance - a quality that sets him apart from even his fiercest rivals like Aphelele Fassi and Damian Willemse - and his vision will certainly be missed when it is no longer around.
Quick hits
- Malcolm Marx will start his third successive Test on Saturday, having seemingly made the No 2 jersey his own, but is the Bomb Squad missing some much-needed firepower? Some feel Marx works better as an impact player coming on in the second half, but it looks like the Bok coaches now believe he adds more value as a starter.
- The search for the Boks' best scrumhalf continues as Grant Williams returns from injury to wear the No 9 jersey this weekend. Many feel the Sharks livewire is the best chance the Boks have at nailing down another first-choice scrumhalf, and believe he is the brightest talent in a bunch that includes Faf de Klerk, Morne van den Berg, Cobus Reinach and Jaden Hendrikse.
- Every Bok fan no doubt breathed a little easier when they saw the name 'Pieter-Steph du Toit' penciled into the starting line-up. Du Toit's inclusion immediately makes the Springbok pack look much more formidable, but at 32 years of age, the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year won't be around forever. Thankfully, we still get to enjoy his contributions for a little while longer, and fans should appreciate every moment they still get to see this rugby legend in action.
- Erasmus has picked three potential debutants for Saturday's clash, though all three - prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, utility forward Cobus Wiese and utility back Ethan Hooker - will start on the bench. Bok fans will probably be most excited to see young Hooker in action, after the 22-year-old saw his stock rise prodigiously this year following a series of superb performances for the Sharks.
