Has Damien Duh Allende created one try in 34 tests?

Ja, I felt that for all the line breaks and runs, he never really linked up with any of his outside or inside backs. His role is almost to try and break the line, go to ground and allow for the ball to be recycled. It baffles me that with 6 line breaks he could not get a single pass away. These days, line breaks are as scarce as hens teeth and you need to make it count. Especially when you have such a lethal finisher as Dyanti. 

I have been watching some the all blacks recent high lights and it strikes me how ofter the ball carrier turns their chest when making contact, look for a supporting player and then use their wrist to pop a pass. But that is why the AB look so amazing because the work on this through their entire rugby to try and off load. But it is not a high risk as poorer teams make it look. 

Where as with Duh Allende, always leads with an arm, giving him one arm to try and off load. He has no shape in his body or arm that shows he is trying to off load or free up his hands. 

The other problem is also the support lines. Why not have the blindside wing or the scrum half run in support in a V to inject some pace if he was successful. 

For all his inroads, I have to agree that they have been pretty fruitless. 

Roland

Mozart

One-sided suppositions are your stock in trade.   You always claim after the fact that a player should have taken a different decision after sitting on your couch working out what a player potentially could have done.   .Very easy to do that and then in retrospect claim that the player should have done otherwise.  

That is what one calls taking an hour to work out and then claim you are correct and the player wrong.   But then it also depends on who the player is - your favourites can make worse decisions and mistakes and not a word will be raised - the players you dislike are the ones who get criticized endlessly.   

When he has to think he slows down. He doesn't know what to do. We saw him do this on the weekend. On one run he was very hesitant, zig-zagging. He panicked. André is the rookie, but looks more like a five year veteran. What Damian primarily lacks, noone can teach. He just doesn't have the software. I recommend Rassie pull the plug on the Springbok Vista experiment. It isn't working. 

@ Rooi

Faf, Jantjies/Willemse, Pollard, Combrink....Dyanti, Nkosi, Willie

Combrink would bring awareness, create opportinity, has decent decent pace and competent defence. His boot from the tee and out of hand is a bonus. Solid under high balls as well.

Combrink and Kriel side by side. Which is real ball player? Only one winner there.

Remember, Combrink's spot wasn't won from him. He took to test rugby quite easily...And that under Coetzee. Made minimal mistakes and rarely didn't contribute positively.

Unfortu nately he got injured and forgotten about. Sure, he's not a 13. But please tell me if there is anything that Kriel does that Combrink doesn't do twice as well.

That's just one potential example we'd know the answer to by now if De Allende and Kriel weren't the anointed ones.

We have way more options than people make out.

Plum, I believe I was the first posters on this site to punt Pollard at 12...I think Rassie read it here!, but then we need a settled 10 and neither Jantjies nor Willemse is comfortable in the Bok 10 jersey yet... that means we must try it in the last 20 when the game is safe...and really safe, we don't want a repeat of what happened at Loftes against NZ....and there is too little time left to the next RWC, I'm afraid we are stuck with Damian and Jessie till then. I would like to have another look at Jan Serfontein and even De Jongh...don't tell Maaik though.

Mozart

I think that "teaching" Esterhuizen that tackle - may have been a cynical joke.   However, there is another element to it.   Esterhuizen  has a serious defensive problem and it is present in matches often enough.   His tackle count as an inside center is low and often enough ineffective.

I do not think that Esterhuizen will make the grade on test level - there are way too many negatives that he shows both on test level and Super Rugby level.

I do not believe the crash ball game is actually what makes backlines effective  from an attacking perspective.   I actually think it may be used as alternative - not ball after ball.    It seems tht the idea of Erasmus is that the ball must be carried with defenders drawn in and when tackled the ball must be placed for rapid redistribution.     

It is very difficult and even seriously problematic to pass balls under such circumstances - since there are two many defenders  immediately around or in the process of tackling the crashballer.  In the case of De Allende it rarely happen that less than three defenders take part in the tackling process and another two opposition players are in the immediate vicinity.

The process can work as it was used in the case of the Nkosi try on Saturday when De Allende was a first attacker, followed by a carry by Du Toit - leaving a gap in defense on the outside.    My opinion is that the system can work - but there are too many loopholes making it vey difficult to reach the desired objective.

Now back to Andre Esterhuizen.   He is much the same crashball player - but he is not effective in making the balls available for distribution.  He made two good breaks in two tests earlier this year - but in both cases the defending team got a turnover - neutralizing the work Esterhui zen did in carrying the ball.   In the third English test he was totally ineffective and when he came on last Saturday he was very ineffective as well.

If we have the kind of crashballing game than ball retention is essential and quick subsequent redistribution is necessary - but is it really the answer?   Personally I do not like that kind of game iro of backline usage - there should be variation.   That is why I said we need a change in game planning - if the crashball game is what is required by Erasmus - De Allende is the really the only answer - but I think it should not be the case and a more varied game is necessary,   

To replace De Allende with Eserhuyzen is not the answer.  I think that Serfontein may be a better option  for a more varied game - he is not really physically good enough to play a crashball game.

I'd much rather see Serfontein in the mix than either DDA or Kriel.

Moz, i'd differ from you in that i'd go 12 Serfontein and jus t leave the 13 spot empty. We'd be better off that way

We need a passer at 13 more than 12. I was hoping Kriel could be that player, but it appears he won't be. A 13 who can work in tandem with the back three will significantly increase our attacking power. Damian looks even worse as a decision maker in space. Serfontein would be a logical choice, assuming Am isn't available - I have no updates on his injury. Serfontein is a very smart player. Either way, André is our best 12 right now. Unless we select Frans, which will never happen. 

I have asked you 50 times to prove that Esterhuizen is our best 12 at present and all we get is further drivel and claims by you - dimness -  and that proves zero especially in view of your cluelessness about the game of rugby.  

I have gone into considerable detail over the past few months. You don't consider that adequate because it isn't what you want to hear. Damian on the otherhand isn't just the lesser of the two, but not test quality to begin with.

Your defence of Damian was always easily debunked. Your attack on André, who you are beginning to feel as threatened by as Frans, has also been flayed with ease. In fact, you'd be helping Damian by not defending him at all, such is your lacking ability to mount a counter argument. 

Your wild statements count for Zero - give as facts, but I am sure you are incapable of doing that,

Let deal with a few  issues here:-

*    Ball retention and skill;

*    Tackles and defense.

*    Pace 

Then we can discuss the issue.   Repetitive drivel is not a basis for discussion.   I am not worried about Fatso - Erasmus is not interested in him anyway  - who would be in a player who is not a center at all as stated by an expert.

I merely mentioned that like Fatso Esterhuizen is a slow plodder and that he is not really test standard.  

FAF!

Fatso. Gosh, one might think you don't like André, some might call it personal. How can this be? You never attack a player, only talk rugby. Maybe I should ask Cuntfield what he thinks. 

Where was Damian's pace before he grubbered? All he had to to was beat a player he was already put outside of. Instead he was closed down by a forward. He ruined a perfectly good attacking opportunity. Was it for a lack of pace, or does his brain struggle to keep up with his body? 

There are precious few examples of Damian really hitting the line at pace or force. There are many instances of this from André. Damian cannot rush up and cut off attackers well behind the gainline. André has been used by Rassie to chase kicks, leading a midfield press. Is Rassie stupid, or are you wrong? Rassie clearly doesn't think André has a speed problem. He also doesn't seem to think Damian is a speedster either.

I'm taking a screenshot of your post. It's going to be very funny in a few weeks. 

When all is said and done, you can't reference any of the things you claim Damian can do. I have provided the details you have both been incapable and unwilling to provide. Lying through one's teeth isn't evidence. 

I have numerous clips of Damian fumbling the ball and exposing it for a strip. Mike is very careless when opening his mouth. 

I am still waiting for evidence.   I mentioned Esterhuizen making two good ball carries - but what happened when h e got tackled?   One ended up in a possession turnover, the second in a penalty against the Springboks.   Why?

I mentioned that he has serious defense deficiencies and mentioned what happened in the tests he played in this year and specifically refer to his 5 missed tackles and the fact that in the two tests he played in against England he only made 6 successful tackles.   How do you counter those facts?

I suppose seeing him losing ball possession is to be expected and condoned?

Compared to De Allende his tackle count is very low nd his missed tackles much more - so why should he be regarded as a better player?

Now I do not expect a logical answer from you - drivel will not do - so try and show some real rugby knowledge in responding,  Know it is near to impossible in your case - but at least try.