Enough Hakwa...let's talk Etzebeth

Is there any more valuable forward in the game today? Well maybe Read in his current form. But in going slowly through Ellis Park for the mozcroscope, I kept on coming across Etzebeth. Massive in every sense of the word.

Here's one for Etzebeth fans.....check out minute 48 carefully....he actually gasses Ben Smith up the left hand touchline. In the immortal words of Humphrey, I kid you not. Geez if you take that into account and recall that Steyn monster ed Retallik, I'm not sure how we lost to these feeble ABs

I always pick him for Fantasy Rugby (and also Whitelock) but what I remember of the stats Whitelock did well by comparison in the last test and overall I rate Whitelock more highly.

That long run Etzebeth had was fantastic and he showed real spead. He is young and I believe he needs to have a lock that can compliment what he has to offer. Early days yet.

Just-win

I also pick both Etzebeth and Sam Whitelock for my fantasy teams, but like in the last test where Etzebeth got 25 points and Whitelock 17 - he has constantly outscored Whitelock in the points system in virtually every test and he ended up ranked higher than Whitelock - who came in fourth with Etzebeth coming first.  In essence that means that he constantly performed better than Whitelock in the series.

Althoough I rate Whitelock highly as a lock - he is by  some distance the best lock in New Zealand - I am afraid that he is not on par with Etzebeth - who at this very early stage in his career - he still is only 21 years of age - must be rated as the best lock in the world rugby by some distance.   

 Yeah...I agree with Nuke...as much as Eben is a great player and a future prospect destined for greatness, he has still a long road to travel and so have Goosen, Lambie,PSDT,Willie...etc. We all obviously are wishing for the very best for these great prospects but the road is long...it's only when you arrive and become a legend like Colin Meads, Jean De Villiers, Richie Mc Caw, Rueben Kruger, Zin Zan Brooke, Sean Fitzpatrick,Andre Joubert etc etc then you can start singing their praises...it's not how you begin but how you perform over time and finish...many great potential players have aroused praise but a lot have fizzled out.

 Mozart, Read has been touted as not just the best forward but also the best rugby player in the world after that game. Etzebeth like I have said previously has potential to be great but hasn't fulfilled it. You mention Etzebeth gassing Ben Smith but fail to mention that he couldn't get to Read who scored the final try. And how did you lose to AB's easily answered AB were better team agai n.

polyboy

Just a minute - I thought we are dealing with locks here - not loosies or other forwards.  Read is an no 8 great - but he is not a lock and would never be one.   The issue is who is the better lock forward - Etzebeth orWhitelock.   Statistically and on  actual performance - Etzebeth beats Whitelock by far.   Not that Whitelock is not a good lock - he is - but Etzebeth is two steps higher than him on the ladder of excellence.

There is another tthread where Etzebeth's info as to performance is given - and if you want to prove otherwise have a look at that one and give me reasons why you differ.