Alberts dominates in Cardiff

What a massive display from the big man today. Powerful runs, massive tackles and a huge strip of the ball at minute 30 when the Boks were wide open for a try. These are my observations.

Lambie was decent at fullback, but Willie showed again he is totally at home in test rugby. He did a lot of good things...I'd pick him next week.

JP and Fury have lost a lot of gas. That said, that touch of Fury's for the try would never be emulated by JJ in 100 Bok games...yes I know he was offside, but it was brilliant.

Bryan was industrious, without things opening up for him.

Jean is just our best back, match in/match out.

Morne was distributing neatly before he left. But I thought Lambie at 10 was a potential match loser. Two very dangerous cross kicks in our half could have resulted in points the other way....his drops were poorly judged ...and he isolated himself for turnovers.

F du Preez also did brilliantly in the try his kick running sideways wa s superbly weighted.

The Beast, his dropped pass aside had a fine game....as did both hookers. Malherbe's performance was hard to judge. The Ref  was the person that should have been sent off. Both locks were solid and Etzebeth dominated the lineouts. Flip had his usual stupid penalty.

Louw was disappointing today I thought. Vemeulen was terrific and Alberts was more than terrific.

 Mozart

You really are impossible.  Have to giver you credit for manufacturing of info to justify your opinion on players.  Now lets look at the stats on Alberts :-

Powerful ball carrier he definitely was NOT.  Seven carries and making 1 meter in territory in total is a joke in bad taste =,  In the case of one carry he spilled the ball in the case of one he got penalized and he also knocked on one ball.   The only thing good was his tackle stats in traffic - some very good tackles and at least 2 very poor ones.   PLEASE be HONEST AND GIVE US THE REAL STORY.

Morne was showing the same disturbing deficiencies he showed at Ellis Park and Meyer benched him as a result - another piece of intellectuial dishonesty.   By the way  the cross kicks you said Lambie made was in the Welsh half not ours - and when Morne made the same kicks he was lauded for it - now Lambie is crucified because of it.   Again stretching the truth beyond limits.   

When I criticised Fourie and Pietersen about their mobility during last week - you screamed that I was lying.   They never had gas - they did not lose it. 

By the way - there is nothing wrong with flyhalfs attacking the gain line like Lambie did - but there is something seriously wrong with our loosies for not being with him to protect the ball possession.   Where were they when he did attack the gain line?   Problem is that our loosies are always late at breakdown points.

Why was Malherbe's performance hard to judge?   

 Mozart

Liar - I said I want to have a look at the game and see when the five missed tackles came about and what the impact was on the game itself.   I did not manufacture a statement about Albert's ball carries like you did.  For shame!!!!!!!!!

Boklogic

I am just being honest.   He made good takles and I sid it - but his ball carries was really worthless and menat nothing - something Mozart was on about.   Tackles by loosies are NOT their only function and that is where Alberts is good - provided the tackles are in the channel - outside of the channel his tackles are non-existent or weak.   

You do not seem to understand the problem I have with Alberts - he is one-dimensional by having only one asset required from a loosie and that is heavy tackles in the channel.   He does not recover balls in breakdown situations, he does not carry balls efficiently - his few carries are in traffic only with minimal gain or benefits to the team - in more open play he does zilch in linking with the backline - he never is available at tackle situations to ensure that there are not turnovers in balls.   If you have ever seen him doing anything like the highlighted functions of a loosie and can bring proof of it - then I will change my opinion on him.   I have never seen anything like the above from him and so I stay with my opinion.

He is more likely to miss tackles when they are slightly wide out - like the miss on Reid or the misses on the two Samoan try scorers - than any of the other loosie.   To credit him with the fact that the Welsh did not score tries yesterday is really ridiculous.   

I belief that Albert might be a good tight five player bar the fact tha t his contributions in line-outs are minimal - he definitely is too slow to be a good all-round loosie. 

Saffex

There are a few players you dealt with - where I wan to add something. 

JP Pietersen

Lets start with JP.   He was not very effective in the CC this year and I said last week that he is rather slow for a wing.   He seems to have gone back physically whilst in Japan.   He does not look fit enough for test rugby and his speed - which was not really fast enough in the past - has gone backwards.   Playing in Japan is not the best idea for test level rugby players because of the lesser demands expected from them on club level.   It was very clear on Saturday hat unless JP goes on a very strict training and dietary regime - he is going to deteriorate further.   He is to my mind already on a level where his selection for the Springboks leaves serious question marks.

Jacques Fourie

He was totally ineffective at 13 and his defence was putrid - although he made all four attempted tackles - the cases where he did not attempt tackles at all were numerous and he l;ft gaping holes through which Davies ran with ease.   He is even in worse physical condition an his speed is totally inadequate for a 13 center.   The same issue is a play as is he case with JP.   I think Meyer would never admit publicly that he made a mistake - but I do not think Fourie will be in the next Springbok squad.   In the meantime I think Meyer should rather select Engelbrecht for the tests.   Everybody shouts and scrams about Du Preez try and the good recovery and pass made by Fourie.   He was bloody lucky that the ref did not call for a TV review - since he was off-side.    Looking a his normal speed  throughout the game - he would never have been on time at the ball recover point if he was onside.

Morne Steyn  

I saw in a news article that Steyn had a back spasm before the game and during he game felt a twitch  in his back.   I do not think that was the real reason for his early replacement.   The media will be told that story to silence them.   The real reason to my mind were signs that Morne was breaking down and was repeating all the failures he had at Ellis Park.   The sooner he Is out of the squad - the better.

Frans Malherbe

Mozart first said that Malherbe is not strong enough as a prop.  His first reaction after the game was that Malherbe's defence was shockingly bad - a reason had to be found to discredit Malherbe - and then vaguely said that he is not convinced Malherbe is suitable for Springbok selection.   Malherbe put Jenkins under pressure and that was clear in every scrum.   What is not said by others - bit identified by you -  - has been that Jenkins was in the Lions team - which demolished the Aussie scrum  during the Lions tour.   In the Cape Town test the Aussie scrum at times got the better of the Springboks - when Jannie was the tighthead.   Mozart's targets were inevitably Engelbrecht and Malherbe - if Du Toit starts next week expect an attack on him moments after the game.       

Extramic

There is no doubt that even if he slips up at times with poor consequences - in general tackles in traffic - Alberts is very good.   Yesterday in that regard he was very good.

That is a plus mark - and is usually applauded by pundits - but have they ever looked at the remainder of the functions of a loosie?   I guess nnot - because he never contributed to those. 

Those are the following:-

Ball carrying - Yesterday was typical - a few attempted carries in traffic  with marginal or negative effects.   Check all the games Alberts played in and that will be clear to you.  His carrying of balls in open play - non-existent

Line Outs - Very few - 3 takes in all tests played this year.   Not really a sound contributor at all.

Defence - In open field play - nothing ever.

Ball Protection  in the case of teammates being tackled - None ever

Ball recovery in breakdown situations - Never happening

For me the functions of loosies go wider than only defence in the channel - if he showed anything of substance in the other functions listed - then fine, but he does not.  His equivalent of defence in traffic can equally be or can normally be done by  tight 5 players - you do not need a loosie that specializes in that limited field only - a loosies functioning efficiently in that rather limited environment is not a loosie at all - he is a tight 5 player of very good standing.  

Alberts gets plaudits for the limited field he operates in because he performs well in that aspect of play.   The remainder of the loosie functions as listed are never mentioned in any match reports - because he does not play any role in that and is not assessed on that.

I prefer all round loosies like Messam and Hooper - who plays a practical role in every facet of loosie play - not in one aspect of play only.        

 Sure - you are referring to Luatua - I rate him highly.   He is a 7 in the same mold as Botha and Labuschagne.   

However one other question - why are we the only country that regards the blind side flank as a one-dimentional bruiser with no impact whatsoever on all other aspects of loosie play?   Does our performance in tests showed that we really need such a player - for instance the tests over the past year in the CR showed that we come short in the back row - that together with Morne at flyhalf was our main deficiency that cost us dearly in games we lost or even drew. 

I would not have Alberts in the team if Botha was available and I prefer a player like Labuschagne who is a better all round defender and tackler, as well as a more effective ball carrier than Alberts.  

Saffex

I can live with one bruiser as a loosie.   For me Vermeulen is a better all round player than Alberts and a bruiser as well.   We do not need two bruisers - we need one and to my mind the choice is between Vermeulen and Alberts.  I rate Vermeulen higher than Alberts and he is my preferred bruiser - given Alberts serious speed and all round deficiencies.

I think the ideal weight for most flank forwards - and that is the case worldwide - is between 102 and 110 kgs - the idea to play heavier players than that reduces speed of players.    Luatua is a big guy weighing in at 109 kgs.   He is as tall as Alberts - but weighs in at 11 kgs below him, which accounts for his mobility around the park.  

Both Botha and Labuschagne is slightly shorter - 3 cms in fact - and their weight is given as between 103 and 105 kgs - not really such a massive difference really.  

Saffex

We have been through this one about Arno's weight before - he is NOT 110 kgs - and there is no way you or Mozart can make him 110 kgs - because you wish him to be and consequently guess that he is that weight.   Officially his weight is given at 103 kgs and Marcel Coetzee is given as 106 kgs.   Labuschagne is weighing 105 kgs.  These weights are updated every three months - whether you like it or not.   Muscelling up does not add as much to weight as fat does - so for a person to muscle up means a probable gain of 3 kgs - not much more - before the fat issue turns up.      

Mozart

Let  me tell you as it is - stop talking sh!t about players to advance your arguments about players - you have been caught out time and time again when you have.   I accept that your prejudice rules your objectivity and that is really what this is all about.

Have you seen any of Botha, Coetzee or Labuschagne without a shi rt on to make a dubious claim of upper body strength like you make above?

O -  the poor old  dear caught me out on making a toping error - it was clear that I meant shirts - so I corrected it and the question stands. 

I do not expect a reasonable answer though - he has been caught out lying about players in the past and that will not change.  

Alberts was incredible … again.

There’s just no stopping this man. He came back from injury and slowly started working his way back to being the best blindside flank on the planet. What a MONSTER.

He must have put in 20 tackles at least, won us turn over ball, cleaned out beautifully at the ruck, mauled powerfully, took several line out balls, made some incredible bone jarring hits, drove well with ball in the hand and showed some fantastic pace around the park.

He was all over the place. Very impressed with his fitness level.

My man of the match!!

Sorry Mike ... you were wrong again. Nwo apologize!!!

I thought Flip had an awesome game. Definitely the best I’ve seen him play this season. PSDT will have to wait a little longer cause it seem Flip has only just started finding his rhythm at 5. He was very physical and put in a tremendous amount of work. I'm not a fan of the man but he sure won me over this past Saturday. Keep it up.   

Sorry Mike ... now apologize.

Malherbe had a solid debut. I thought he stood up well and needs to take his play against Scotland to the next level. Look forward to it. Will get better and better and rule the world by next season.

Du Preez was amazing. From start to finish. I can see he worked hard on his fitness. A class act. Here to stay of that I have no doubt.

Sorry Mike ... now apologize, you brainless ignoramus.

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JP’s defensive effort was outstanding. A solid brick wall. He sure has lost a lot of pace though. What he did, he did well. I’m a little worried about his lack of pace.The 14 jersey is up for grabs in my opinion ... we need someone that can defend as well and run like the wind.

Jaque Fourie made a great return to the 13 jersey. A little shakey at first but that was to be expected. He got into the swing within the first twenty. A massif improvement at 13 defensively and vastly superior on attack to what we’ve seen lately. Made JJ's feeble attempt this year look like that of a school boy. Also showed he still has more than enough gas to comfortably retake his 13 jersey. Welcome back Jaque ... glad to have you back. We sure missed you.

Sorry Mike ... you were wrong again. Now apologize.

We lost a little shape when Morne went off. The unexpected surprise of Lambie finding himself at 10 rattled him a little. He never really settled. I think if he were to be given a run at 10 against the Scots we’d see a much better, more confident showing from the lad. Needs to up his level dramatically.

At this stage in time I would say that we do not have a stand out 10. It's a problem that needs to be addressed. Could that be Goosen?

Willie surprised me with his confidence. He is a match winner and an absolute must at 15. Love the attitude he brings onto the park. Think he deserves to start at 15 against the Scottish. He will cement his position at 15 this coming weekend.

What to do with Lambie and Morne???

Bismarck is an animal … I LOVE THIS GUY. Not only the best hooker in the world but the best by some way. Another MONSTER ... as well as another incredible Bok. I wonder if he and Alberts are related?

Nothing needs to be said about Jean … but I’m going to anyway. What an awesome cpt and leader we have in this man. Arseholes like Stupid and the Simpleton Mike wouldn’t know talent if it kicked them in the head.

His consistent brilliance at 12 ranks him as the best inside center this planet has seen for quite some time. An absolute wizard.

Long may he continue!!!

Heyneke Meyer – inspirational coach second to none. His plan is coming together wonderfully. I love his attitude, his passion and his humility. The right man for the job.

Wish he had been appointed after Jake White was fired. We would have had an incredible team right now if he had been.

Not sure if you guys aware of just how much damage that fool of a man, Divvy, brought about through his quota selected incompetence? He took the worlds best team and destroyed them within a year. Meyer has had to start from scratch.

Long may Meyer continue.

About - BSter?   Why should I apologize an d to whom?   Definitely not to a prejudiced fool' who cannot recognize his arse from his elbow insofar as rugby player performance assessments are concerned.   

Alberts had a massive 2013. The Boks were immense on tour. Lambie did have, as you say, a poor showing against Wales. Looked more stable against Scotland, though he didn't have to do much. But against Wales, that was a turning point. If I recall correctly, Morné was suffering from back spasms. He still outplayed Lambie, the Boks looked to be piling on a big win before he left the field. That Fourie and Du Preez link was amazing. You can't coach that. 

Alberts  loosie - useless at best - since he was no good in 80%  of the functions of loosies.   I hope you noted that he carried the ball SEVEN times for a meter gain of ONE meter.  In other words he was tackled back virtually every time he carried the ball - what a strong all-carrier that represents. 

Mozart, by the way that was the match in which you started your lies about the scrumming of Malherbe.   So why should I apologize to a serial liar like you - low life? 

Those stats have since been amended to 8/5. ESPN lied again

In other words he was tackled back virtually every time he carried the ball

You can't tell that from stats.

Clever Mike, can you please explain to me how you arrived at 80%? You are the mecca, the very fountain of wisdom. I'd like to learn something. Danke schön.

7 carries making 1 meter meant just that.  

Who makes 40 metres carrying into heavy traffic? Someone has to do the hard yards. Thankfully we had Alberts.