Disappointments of Yesterday

The disappointing performances of some players yesterday nearly handed the game to the English.  The following are the four woirst culprits:-

1   Victor Matfield

2   JP Pietersen

3   Jannie du Plessis

4   Jean de villiers:-

Victor Matfield 

No physicality in maul -situations - no ball carries worth anything - lost possession once - insignificant line out performance - made weak tackles and missed twotackles as well.gave a penalty away - got yellow-carded.   Dreadully poor performance.

JP Pietersen

His pace is seriously deficient - made two tackles and missed four - no contribution in attacking play.   Dreaduklly poor perforace.

Jannie du Plessis

Scrumming performance adequate - but giving away two penalties in the process was bad news.   He made some tackles - but alaso missed some.   Poor performance.

Jean de Villiers

Showed nothing in attack - made six rtackle, but missed three.  Just not good enough.  Poor perormance.  

MIke, I knew he lost speed, same with FOurie, I just didn't have an opportunity to see him one on one in a chase like yesterday.

It is quite revealing and Meyer seriously need to take note. 

If these players are in the World Cup squad next year we ain't going far.

Vicki, Bakkies, Pienaar, Morne, Jean, Fourie, Pi etersen.

What worried me most yesterday is the lack of strength from our tight 5 displayed not in the scrum, but in stopping their rolling mauls. I know a rolling maul is a tough animal to stop once it is going, but if the tight 5 is mobile and strong enough, they could at least stop it and hold before it is properly formed and then hold until a 'use it or lose it' call from the ref. 

I know the Lions front row is quite fast to do this but our problem remains with the locks with Eben the best at this stage. I don't think Lood will alleviate the problem.

Still think Flip flop would have been a better choice.