The Bok pack could be set for a reshuffle if Eben Etzebeth is cleared to face Scotland in Edinburgh this Saturday.
The Springboks will head into their penultimate Test of the year with plenty still to prove. Over the course of the 2018 season, the Boks have achieved a 50% win-loss record and will know that they were extremely fortunate to come away as winners after a hard-fought battle against France last Saturday.
Scotland can no longer be regarded as easy-beats and will come into this Saturday's clash on the back of an emphatic win over Fiji. It's for this reason that Bok coach Rassie Erasmus should be expected to pick his strongest available lineup.
Etzebeth is one of those players who could come back into the selection mix after missing last weekend's Test due to an ankle injury. However, Erasmus has previously stated that they expected the second rower to be fit for the Edinburgh encounter.
If Etzebeth is given the all clear, he should reclaim the No 4 jersey, which is then likely to see Pieter-Steph du Toit make a return to his preferred position at blindside flank.
Over the first two November Tests, Duane Vermeulen has completed a caretaker job at No 7, but he may well return to his more familiar berth at the back of the scrum this weekend.
If Vermeulen does crack the nod at eighthman, Warren Whiteley is likely to fall out of the starting lineup. It could also be interesting to see whether the Boks have any temptation to afford Siya Kolisi a rest after carrying a heavy workload this season, with Francois Louw offering an obvious alternative at openside flank.
Up front, there could also be a temptation to offer Wilco Louw or Bongi Mbonambi another start, but Erasmus may also want to avoid making too many changes to the pack.
As it is, one would imagine that the Bok coach will opt for continuity in the backline, with there having been very few clear-cut attacking opportunities against France.
The Bok team will be named at 4 pm (SA time) on Thursday.