The Bulls' shaky start to the Super rugby campaign has overshadowed the good form of flanker Deon Stegmann, the Pretoria side's standout player in the early stages of the competition.
Much focus has been on the two back-to-back defeats at Loftus Versfeld, which were compounded by the set-piece woes in Frans Ludeke's side. Injuries and people playing out of position have also taken the spotlight.
Despite the early season anguish, Stegmann continues to grind in the loose forwards, alongside another flank workhorse in Lappies Labuschagne.
With a long line of competent openside flankers ahead of him in the Springbok pecking order, it seems like the 28-year-old Stegmann is quietly lifting his hand to get the attention of national coach Heyneke Meyer.
With the likes of François Louw, Marcell Coetzee, Schalk Burger and even Siya Kolisi currently ahead of him in Meyer's openside hierarchy, Stegmann may find it hard to break into the Bok team again, having not played since a Tri-Nations match against the All Blacks in 2011.
The former Grey College pupil - who made up a loose-trio combination at the school with Cheetah Heinrich Brüssow and Richardt Strauss, who now plays hooker in Ireland - will be one of the key cogs that can get the Bulls wagon back on track.
That will start with their clash against the Sharks this weekend.
Selection of the Bulls' team is set to return to some normality this week after a few players played out of position in the opening two matches of the season.
With the return from injury of tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe and wingers Akona Ndungane and Travis Ismaiel, nerves will settle and a few problems will be solved.
Ludeke will announce his team tomorrow.
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