Geriatrics ...who had more, the Boks or the AB.

Matfield only played 4 of the 6 RC games but made more tackles than anyone else on the team except for Coetzee. Not what someone is able to do if they are off the pace or averse to contact.

 oimatey
There are two requirements in tackling - first the ability to atacke and secondly the quality of the tackles.   That is where Matfield comes short - his tackles are not strong enough to cause problems for the attacking team as mark Edwards indicated.   

Oi matey you are exposing your ignorance. It's not the job of a lock to make open field tackles. Matfield finds himself in the position to make all those tackles as he shies away from the grunt work he is so poor at and the very points brought to light by Andrews.
It did not get worse than having the ball ripped off him by Barrett..that summed Matfield up.....a complete physical liability much like the penalty he conceded trying pitifully to clear Read out.....It was embarras sing

 Matfield I am surprised to say has surprised everyone. His experience and cool head makes him indispensable to the current Boks side.

Matey these bigots believe if one disagrees with them you are ignorant. But the whole world, except  for the hardly disinterested Andrews, disagrees with them. Spot on Hakwa, he surprised many of us....but buckle up for the backlash.
This quality of tackles argument is the biggest nonsense of them all. Except for crash tackles, a rarity, the tackler always yield a bit in the tackle Matfield less than most.

 Mozart
There is no way that Matfield ever tacled a player back.  The player goes forward in the tackle amd has ample opportunity to place the ball and ensure ball recovery by his team or off-load same in the tackle.   
It cannoot be regarded in any way as other than average - the opposite is true in tackle situations involving Matfield - he y ields as much or in most cases more than most.  

 All Black fitness test top trio , Aaron Smith, Ben Smith & ole man Sir Richie .

Yea, being called ignorant is the least of my worries Moz
The facts remain:
Matfield made the most tackles for the Boks apart from Coetzee, while only playing 4 of the 6 games. At his tackle rate if he had played all 6 games, he would have made more tackles than anyone in the whole tournament - better than world class loosies like Read, McCaw and Hooper.
His tackle percentage is excellent at 86% - right with Vermuelen.
The only statistical category the Springboks won was lineouts - Matfields domain - despite Bismarck's poor throwing episode.
He distributes the ball and links well - passing almost 50% of his touches and was involved in the lead up to at least a couple of the tries.
Respected by his teammates, prized by his coach, receives accolades from commentators and opponents alike and is one of the few Bok players that the opposition has to actually game plan around.
All this at the age of 37.
Mark Andrews and people who share his opinion couldn't have been more wrong about his impact this RC.
I've never even really been a big Matfield fan - he is always an arch rival with the Bulls - but he deserves to be defended. Reminds me of the same type of vitriol that Os and Montgomery endured.

 we also have the same sentiments about those who say McCaw is over the hill

 Moffie you ignorant prick I have one thing to say - Mark Andrews - case closed old man.
Disinterested Andrews bwhaaahaaaaa you never fail with your pathetic attempts to downplay reality.
Good on Andrews for saying it as it is. Matfield is useless these days utterly useless. The odd tackle will never change that; one would swear tackles are the measure of a lock. Ignorance is bliss

Vetsak....if ignorance is bliss you must be one happy porker.  

KKK at least I am not stupid enough to assert that a Bok legend in Mark Andrews does not know what he is talking about. Ignorance and downright stupidity personified.
Geez you are thick

But not as thick as you Vetsak.....you are the standard for dumb insistence on this Board.

A short toad with a Napoleonic complex, but worse hygiene.  

 Plank

You think Dave is a plank?  

Mozart 
 Sorry - the last comment before that description were  by yoy - so make your deductions from there.  

Hahaha, poor old OOm. Using a term I introduced to the Board to try and insult me. Only proving once again how you always ape my thoughts. Hell you had never even thought about stats until you saw my posts and I told you where to find them. Imitation the sincerest form of flattery.

 Mozart
At least I learn from the Board and that helps to widen my view.   I do not use stats to manipulate performances like you do - so that is where the issue becomes inportant.    If you ise stats - use it  as one of the processes to evaluate performances on a realistic basis - npot a selective basis only when it fits your argument.   Dishonesty in usage is an abomination.