Embrose Papier might finally get a decent run at the back of the Springbok pack when they face New Zealand at Loftus on Saturday.
Having warmed the bench for Faf de Klerk for much of the Rugby Championship, Papier last took the field on August 18 when South Africa beat Argentina 34-21 in Durban.
But with the news that De Klerk will not be available for the Boks’ end-of-tour games, coach Rassie Erasmus might finally give the 21-year-old Bulls No.9 a run.
Bok flyhalf Handre Pollard believes the youngster will not disappoint if afforded the opportunity to showcase his talent.
Pollard says: “I have a lot of faith in him. He’s a young talent and he’s getting into the system nice and slowly [and that’s] giving him confidence. I played with him at the Bulls of course, so we know each other very well.
“It’s our job [as senior players] to make him feel comfortable when he [takes the field], there’s a lot of senior guys around him so he can just focus on his job.”
Pollard also says he enjoys playing at inside centre whenever called upon to do so by the coaching staff.
He adds: “I’m a flyhalf, but I think it’s good to be able to switch. I enjoy playing 12, the coaches have been backing me later in the game to move there and I enjoy it.”