Allister missed a trick in the tale of two deputies
With Whiteley out for longer, the stand-in captain will come under more scrutiny
With Warren Whiteley almost certainly set to miss the entire Rugby Championship, the appointment of the stand-in Bok captain has taken on a weightier significance.
It had been hoped that Whiteley would be restored to fitness by the time the Springboks play the Wallabies in Bloemfontein at the end of next month but a groin injury and pubic symphysis (pelvic problems) have pushed back those projections.
It means coach Allister Coetzee's decision to install Eben Etzebeth as stand-in captain will be put to a longer test.
Not that Coetzee hasn't applied his mind.
Even before the team was named for their opening test against France in June, a pecking order was established with Etzebeth second in line to the armband.
When Whiteley was ruled out of the third test against France, Etzebeth took over...
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