With only four locks in the squad, and the well documented injury problems that Bekker seems to pick up on a regular basis, this looks like an area of concern for Alister Coetzee and his assistants.

The Contenders:

Andries Bekker

HEIGHT 208 cm

WEIGHT 118 Kg

BIRTH DATE 5 December 1983 – Age 29

DHL Stormers Vodacom Super Rugby – 2005

Lock

Started the 2012 season very short of form, then saw some time on the sidelines with more injuries, Bekker only really started to come good when Heyneke Meyer got hold of him, and calmly explained that the lock position was in the scrum, and not part of some hide and seek game where he needed to spend his time searching for the position in the midfield. A hard man and strong ball carrier, Bekkers lineout abilities and ball poaching come second only to the retired Matfield. He certainly looked good towards the end of the season, where he started to make his position look his again. Lets hope he carries that form through to 2013, and that he remains injury free.

Michael De Kock Steenkamp

HEIGHT 197 cm

WEIGHT 113 Kg

BIRTH DATE 16 February 1987 – Age 25

DHL Stormers Vodacom Super Rugby – 2010

Lock

From Williston in the Northern Cape, De Kock Steenkamp was schooled at Paarl Boys High School in the Western Cape .He played for the Western Province side from 2009, and debuted in his first Super Rugby match in 2010. Playing second fiddle to the front line locks in 2012, meant that he saw more action than he might have due to the injuries to the likes of Andries Bekker. A solid player with a big heart, De Kock won’t let you down.

Eben Etzebeth

HEIGHT 203 cm

WEIGHT 117 Kg

BIRTH DATE 29 October 1991 – Age 21

Super Rugby Debut – Cheetahs – 2006

DHL Western Province – 2011

Lock

Wow, this lad just got stronger and stronger as the 2012 season went on. A young lad, still just only 21, and with more growing and strength to come, Eben will, no doubt, become one of South Africa’s top locks for the next decade. Etzebeth has a huge impact on the game, not only locking and in the lineout, but in the loose as well. He is a very hard man, with the reputation of his dad and uncle Cliffie to uphold, the hard man doesn’t stand back for anyone! His one weakness has been his shortness of temper. If he can control this, the world is his oyster.

Ruan Botha

HEIGHT 204 cm

WEIGHT 113 Kg

BIRTH DATE 29 October 1991 – Age 21

Super Rugby Debut –

Golden Lions – 2011 – 2012

DHL Western Province – 2013

Lock

Ruan Botha, another of the recent signings, will join the squad, having signed a deal with the Stormers in August this year. He was a member of the Junior World Cup Squad, and his impressive form allowed Matthew Proudfoot to convince the WP heirachy to get their chequebook out.

He played one game for the Golden Lions, but I am sure that with so few locks on the Stormers stable, he will get a chance sooner rather than later to don the Stormers jersey.