The Coenie Oosthuizen puzzle has been one that has long confused and polarised the fickle South African rugby public.
Originally a loosehead prop, the 28-year-old from Potchefstroom was moved to tighthead, one of the most difficult in rugby.More often than not it is a position that requires growth time in the No3 jersey from school level.
Adjusting to the position for the tall Oosthuizen was never going to be easy - and the teething process has been nothing short of difficult.
It also explains why he has only started six of 28 Tests since his debut against England in Durban in 2012.
With incumbent Frans Malherbe out injured and Trevor Nyakane free-styling between the No1 and No3 jerseys, there is a pitched, but necessary, internal battle between the more experienced Oosthuizen and the talented Ruan Dreyer.
Springbok scrum coach Matt Proudfoot has been impressed by Oosthuizen's quick return to fitness after suffering a rib injury in the Springboks' 41-23 win against Argentina in Salta last month.
All indications are that Oosthuizen will start again at tighthead alongside powerhouse Lions hooker Malcolm Marx and Sharks veteran Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira in Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Perth.
"Together with the guys at the Sharks we came up with a plan for Coenie," Proudfoot said.
"We sat down with him and told him there were certain things he needed to improve on.
"In the past six months he's been working on them.
"He's squarer than he was before and his left shoulder is more prominent.
"There are different spaces a tighthead has to manipulate and he needs both of his shoulders to do that, and his bind is better.
"Coenie's very strong and he's got a powerful personality. Those are aspects you need from a tighthead.
"There's the old adage that says a tighthead is a tighthead and that's what Coenie is.
"Tightheads mature at about 28 and that's where I think Coenie is," Proud- foot said.
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