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Cape Town - It was a tough old year for Adriaan Strauss when it should have been one to remember.
The 31-year-old Bulls hooker was given the ultimate honour when he was made Allister Coetzee's Springbok captain back in June.
It was a dream come true for Strauss, as it would be for any player, but the months that followed have not been easy on him or anybody involved in the Bok set-up.
Strauss, shockingly, announced during this year's Rugby Championship that he would be retiring from international rugby at the end of the year.
The northern hemisphere tour would be his final outing in Bok colours, but nobody could have predicted it going as badly as it did.
Now, to add to all of his troubles, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee must also find a new captain for 2017 - if he still has a job by then.
The Boks have won just four of 12 Tests in 2016 under Strauss and Coetzee, yet the coach insists he has no regrets over his decision to appoint Strauss as skipper.
"If you look at the Super Rugby franchises and the leaders there, I think Adriaan Strauss at that time was the guy that was 100% sure of his position and the most experienced hooker and player that had come through the systems," Coetzee said.
"Therefore I made that call. In hindsight, it was still the right call that I made."
Strauss has also said that he will not back-track on his decision to retire from international rugby, meaning that Saturday's 27-13 loss to Wales in Cardiff was his 66th and final Test for the Boks.
At this early stage, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley and Handre Pollard are the names being mentioned as possible Bok captains in 2017.
