Steven Kitshoff makes the team of the week

This youngster, who at 20 is a mere infant for a prop, made Rugby 365's team of the week. That may surprise some, because he goes about his work quietly.  But watch him closely and you will see the heart of the new Stormers maul. He also bullocks in the best prop traditions. But scrum time is what impresses me most. I watched him a bit in the CC and now twice in the S15....he seems like a very strong scrummager already. Too early to tell, but his age and form suggests Bok honours in future.

I can't really claim to have paid particular attention to him, but I also can't recall him doing much running. I'll look out for him when I watch the game again. I never realised he was that young though, we could use another quality prop.

 Agreed, this kid is the real deal - physically up to the challenge at 120kg's and has just turned 20 - is only going to get better. To think we have him and Marcel v/d Merwe of the Cheetahs (injured at mo), plus Etzebeth, Malherbe, Arno Botha, Coetzee and Kolisi coming through - all 20 year old forwards playing Super 15 rugby

Several New Zealanders argued vehemently with me that their forward stocks are better than ours. This just puts into perspective how overloaded we are with talented players. We have more quality loose forward alone than they have quality forwards overall!

Nice to have a string where I can agree with you chaps.....Coetzee and Kitshoff both look like very heady players.....and Etzebeth could be Bakkies without all the cards, a few years down the road. At 5 lock, Bekker, still young for a lock and Juandre Kruger should see us through the RWC.

All we really need is a real deal tighthead, and a fetcher. I fear Brussouw's brave heart will ultimately ask too much of his struggling body.

I give Dave credit for spotting Etzebeth so early. In the case of Coetzee it was blindingly obvious in that Bools/Sharks game.

 There are plenty of young locks about, obviously they wont all make it but Elstadt of the Stormers impressed with his physicality last year - he will be back from injury anyday now. He is 21 and 1.98m and 118kg. Quin Roux playing for the WP vodacom side has apparently been the star of the side and by all accounts its only a matter of time before he plays S15 rugby. He is 21 and massive at 1.98m and 125kg.

Add 19 year old Steph-du Toit and 22 year old JA Marais of the Sharks. The Bulls have signed SA schools star and current Bok U20 squad player Jacques du Plessis - they expect big things from this 19 year old. He stands at 2.01m and 116kg's. There are other youngsters like Bresler, Bullbring, Greeff and Paul Willemse the Bok U20 who tips the scales at 135kg.

At tighthead, young Malherbe the Stormers bench prop looks a far better propsect than Brok - he is 20 and 124kg - I have not seen much of him but the reports are good. Coenie is only 22 and shows signs of making a go of tighthead once he returns. The Bulls have two 22 year old tightheads in Frik Kirsten and Rossouw de Klerk. Frik is the Bulls bench prop and looks a good prospect - both these lads are 120kg. de Klerk is currently injured. 

So there are young players coming through. We dont have many young hookers, scrumhalves or fullbacks coming through but looked covered in the other departments - in particular flyhalf, centre, lock, prop and lossies

Agree massive talent amongst the forwards.

Kitshoff is a bit slow and seems to me a tighthead in the making?

Our problem usually is having enough quality backs.

 Beeno what the hell are you talking about - since when was it a prerequisite that a prop be fast and why on earth would you want him to play tighthead when you have a young tighthead in Malherbe - your post is a strange one making no sense at all