The decision to enlist Handre Pollard as the replacement for the injured Malcolm Marx in the Springboks' World Cup squad is a brave one, to say the least. You can get away with one specialist hooker in your squad, but it's a potentially dangerous game to play too, writes Nick Mallett.
This past week has been a reminder of how quickly things can change when you're engaged in a World Cup campaign.
Before the dramatic events of Wednesday, the Springboks were basking in a fine start to their title defence and serenely conducting their preparation for Sunday's meeting with Romania in Bordeaux.