Aphelele Fassi . . .

Fassi had a shocker today. So much so that for the first time in ages he wouldn't be my first choice Springbok fullback.

Not until he gets his confidence back. When he's taking those high balls with such ease, nailing his kicks and taking on defenders again, I'll consider him. His confidence is shot.

Without him, DW becomes my first choice fullback, with clear talents like AE, Hooker and JJ fighting for the #12 jersey.

Those inside centre stocks are much stronger than the available fullback stocks in my never humble opinion.

Other option would be to play Kurt-Lee or Cheslin at fullback and play Hooker or someone else on the wing.

A backline including Sacha, DW and Kolbe will create magic regardless of the game plan.

If anyone else had posted that comment, he would've been labeled a " Dumbfuck" by you know who:)

Quan Horn deserves a shot.

He's just rock solid every week. I think because he's quite attacking and likes to take it on that he kind of slips under the radar in terms of his extremely low error count. Geez, between him and Fassi, it's night and day currently.

Heavens knows what is up with Fassi but the word is that he loves to party. Hopefully not another Nkosi type situation brewing.

Unrelated, but the Lions with and without Ruan Venter are two totally different teams. That's saying something, I guess.

Horn, Venter and Julius had strong games

If Juju can do that more often then I could see the Boks perhaps considering him.

He brings a very specific thing to the table, a powerful lateral burst-type step. Much different to DW who I see as being more lanky and needing a bit more of a windup in the way he is elusive. I guess Juju's lower centre of gravity is a bonus that regard. A bit like a bigger version of Kolbe.

While he doesn't have top end pace, the burst power narrative supports the idea that he could be more suited to a rush defence than DDA because rush defence from 12 doesn't require top end speed but rather an ability to cover 15m quickly from a standing start.

Importantly, while he chucked a couple of clanger passes yesterday, he is looking to pass once he gets through, and potentially with Sacha and Moodie/Hooker supporting him, there will always be recipients available.

Indeed, it's very early doors, and plenty can happen in the space of weeks, never mind years but, for me, the logic lines up with him being at 12. It seems like, on paper at least, his most realistic chance of higher honours.

Well done to JP for trying him there. Pity about the rest of the Shark's performance yesterday.

Juju had a lot of fuck ups in the game and probably the single reason why the sharks couldn’t get their attack away, knock ons, getting caught with the ball, poor catch and forward pass galore. He had 3 good break towards the end of the game when the lions dropped their intensity. A better team would have shut him out completely. Not to mention he nearly butchered a try by holding on for way too long.

fassi was Kak, but he has been out injured for a while and if will take at least consecutive games for him to get back into form, probably should have played him off the bench to ease him back in.

"Juju had a lot of fuck ups in the game and probably the single reason why the sharks couldn’t get their attack away"

I don't agree with placing all the blame on him. Jayden the sloth has a lot to do with it too...geez I can't stand him. Their pack wasn't shooting the lights out either.

I'm not gonna promote Juju skills that he doesn't have because he doesn't have any high ball game and I haven't seen much of his kicking game either.

However, the specific type of step that he has, his acceleration, and the fact that he looks to offload once he is through does, for me anyway, fits the narrative of him at 12.

Whether he would be able to contain guys the size of Aki and Lawrence, I'm not sure, but he will close the distance quickly...far more quickly that DDA ever has.

So, as I said, on paper, and on the little evidence available, he's more suited to 12 than anywhere else in the backline. Obviously that's just my opinion.

I see plumpsters Allende Derangement Syndrome is still in full force.

Allende has always been a, superb defensive center but clearly plumpsters with his ADS has not noticed.

Can the Sharks play at a consistently high level one wonders. Was the win over the Mighty Stormers just a bad day at the office for the Stormers, a fluke win by a desperate side who quickly reverted to normal. Time will tell.

Yes Dud Allende was superb when he failed to tackle Nonu in 2015, leading to the SF exiting Barrett try…..and superb again when Mo’unga gassed him leading to another try which could have lost the 2023 WC final. But fortunately the TMO found a knock phases before.

Superb is hardly the word that comes to mind when it comes to Dud’s defense…..’clinging’ is,

These Stompie boys are very loyal to their duds. To a fault...even to those duds full of faults haha

True to form. Mozzie latches onto some Allende missed tackles which he claims to have dug up.

No player who has ever pjayed rugby has not missed tackles. Allende is a superb defender and a player capable of making big hits. He is also great at making steals, like a loose forward.

Whoooosh it all flies over Mozzie's head.

How embarrassing that his whole decades long saga against Allende, Du Toit and Rassie has so spectacularly backfired. Worst calls in the history of the board by far. Has had years to apologise and admit his errors CLINGS onto these terrible calls!!!

Hahahahahahaha.

I saw the other day on You Tube a Kiwi and another video by a Brit saying Rassie is the GOAT when it comes to rugby coaches. The Brit contrasted him with Hanson who took over the top ranked wee abs. Rassie stated with a fai g Bok side who was ranked 6 I think it was a looking like the side would sink further.

I do hope the MGU will all agree Rassie is one of the greatest coaches ever if not the greatest. It's time for the Gimps to do the unthinkable and break ranks with Gimp supremo mozzietard the nutter. Bwahahahahaha.