When Elton Jantjies puts on the type of show like he did for the Lions against the Bulls at Ellis Park on Saturday night, you have to wonder why he couldn't produce the same sort of sparkling rugby in the Springbok jersey in 2016.
Of course, the Springboks struggled as a collective, especially upfront, while Allister Coetzee's gameplan may not have favoured Jantjies' style of play. Or maybe he just isn't good enough for Test rugby. Who knows?
But then you watch him run the show for the Lions, dictating the game with his vision, slight of hand, ability to find space with the boot and his fearless attacking of the gainline, you have ask why hasn't he taken to international rugby like a duck to water.
The Bulls were certainly treated to his full assortment of skills in Johannesburg on Saturday night, as the Lions gored their Gauteng neighbours 51-14. The Lions scored seven tries, five of them during a magnificent first half. Jantjies had a direct hand in all but one those first-half tries.
The Bulls scored two tries on the night, and those came during a spell where they played the kind of rugby they known for in the late 2007s. It was nasty and direct. But while the Lions play with poise and skill, they are certainly no soft touch, and they poured cold water on the Bulls' flame. The Pretoria ran out of puff, and early.
The Lions opened the scoring in the second minute when the Lions created an overlap on the right side. Returning wing Ruan Combrinck found himself in space, before chipping the last defender and collecting the ball to score.
The Bulls hit back almost immediately from brilliant lineout/backline move of their own when Bok centre Jan Serfontein crossed the line.
Jantjies, though, took control of the game. He set up the Lions' second try with a lovely weighted kick from just outside his own 22-metre area. The ball bounced kindly for left wing Courtnall Skosan, who then offloaded to Warren Whiteley. The Lions captain then found Kwagga Smith who scored the easiest of tries.
Jantjies then showed off his sublime passing skills when he put lock Franco Mostert in gap from a lineout in the Bulls' half. Mostert then offloaded to prop Ruan Dreyer, who showed some serious gas to score under the poles.
The Bulls kept in touch when Jesse Kriel broke a couple of tackles before scoring their second try. But the Lions never looked like losing this match.
The 2016 finalists scored two more tries before the break, with Whitely profiting from a charge down, before Combrinck scored his second after the hooter when the Lions opted to go for a lineout instead of taking a tap and then kicking the ball out to hed into the shed for halftime.
The second half wasn't quite vintage Lions, but they did add two more tries to keep their chasing the Crusaders for that top position on the Super Rugby log.
Mostert scored a well-deserved try shortly after halftime, before centre Lionel Mapoe scored the Lions seventh try close to the end.
Jantjies again had a hand in both tries. And maybe the South African public will see similar scenes in the green and gold in June.