Battle is on for Springbok spots

RUGBY CHAMPS: RASSIE HAS A FEW BIG CALLS TO MAKE

- Jacques van der Westhuyzen

Who will play fullback, flyhalf, scrumhalf and No 8? Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will later this week reveal his matchday-23 for Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland and it is who is picked in these four key positions that is generating much interest.

Added to this, who will be the team's back-up hooker now that it has been revealed that the experienced Bongi Mbonambi never boarded the plane to New Zealand with his team-mates last week.

According to SA Rugby, the hooker remained at home in South Africa to "attend to family matters".