Springbok hardman Eben Etzebeth remains on the doubtful list, ahead of South Africa's Rugby Championship crunch match against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

However, the lock will be given time to recover from the flu bug that has kept him of the training field.

Etzebeth, who was named in the Bok starting team on Wednesday, will be given until Friday to recover.

"He is still sick, probably a doubtful starter," coach Heyneke Meyer told a media scrum in Brisbane – after naming his team for Saturday's big game.

However, the Bok coach remained optimistic of a full recovery.

"With our medical team chances are he'll be fit on Saturday."

Should Etzebeth be ruled out, Flip van der Merwe will move to No.4 and Juandré Kruger will come back into the starting side as the other lock.

Willem Alberts will then cover lock and Marcell Coetzee will be promoted to the match-day 23.

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