Few Springboks endured more criticism than flyhalf Elton Jantjies during South Africa's miserable year in 2016.
After a marvellous Super Rugby campaign with the Lions, Jantjies struggled for form in the green and gold jersey. He made uncharacteristic schoolboy errors and poor decisions, while his tactical and goal-kicking were not up to scratch.
He just didn't look like the player who stood head and shoulders above the other No 10s in the country, and the man who played a vital part in the Lions' runner-up finish in the 2016 Super Rugby tournament.
At his best, Jantjies is a wonderfully gifted, instinctive player who more often than not sums up a situation quickly, takes the right decisions and executes accordingly. He takes the ball really flat on attack, and his quick hands and feet put players into space.
He can also find space with the boot; whether it's a little dink over the top or peppering the corners. It's why he is a major piece in the Lions' puzzle as his tools are best suited to their high-tempo, ball-in-hand style of play.
But yet Jantjies was floundering when he was thrown into international waters in 2016.
There could be many reasons why he struggled at Test level - from the kid not being able to make the step up to international rugby, to the Boks' conservative game-plan not quite suiting his style.
But fast-forward to 2017 and Jantjies is again having a top Super Rugby campaign, only this time it feels like he is finally going to transfer that form into the Test arena.
The 26-year-old delivered a polished performance at No 10 in the Boks' first Test of the year, the 37-14 victory against France at Loftus Versfeld.
The Boks employed a similar game-plan to the Lions in Super Rugby, while Jantjies also had his franchise halfback partner Ross Cronje and No 8 Warren Whitely on his inside. Jantjies also slotted six out of six from the kicking tee, and defended his channel strongly by making all his tackles on the night.
On attack he was firm in his decision-making, while still adopting the philosophy of playing what's in front of him - playing the situation.
"It's about making the right decision at the right time. Rugby will always be rugby. I'm not a guy who looks back at the past or forward into the future, I'm a guy who wants to stay in the moment," Jantjies told KweséESPN.
"I'm taking it week by week and have worked on certain areas of my game and set myself certain goals. I don't just go to a training session to only do the things the coach wants me to do. I challenge myself to become a better player and improve with every training session.
"Obviously there is a game-plan, and that is why coaches prepare teams in the week leading up to a Test match. But as a player you have to make your own decisions on the field, see the opportunities and execute it properly."
Jantjies produced one of the best tactical kicking displays in Super Rugby earlier this year against the Bulls, when he set up two tries with pin-point punts.
He was a bit unlucky against the French that one or two of his attacking kicks didn't go to hand, while he kicked one of his punts out on the full, but it was a much-improved effort from last year's hesitant displays.
Jantjies though, is not going to kick more just because it's Test rugby ... he wants to play his natural game. And judging by the first Test against the French, it looks like coach Allister Coetzee also wants the player to express himself on the park.
"Again, it's all about decision-making. I'm not going to kick down an opponent's throat and kick for the sake of kicking. There must be a reason why I kick the ball - to put the team in a better situation or to get the ball back," he said.
"You have to know when kicking is the best option or whether there is communication on the outside that it's on. That is what rugby is all about. If the space is there to kick, I'll kick or otherwise kick a contestable.
"It comes off at the Lions because the guys know whenever there is a kick; there must be a good chase. It's something we have also been working hard on the Springbok camp."