Ian Serfontein - an objective assessment

I am and has always been a great admirer of Jan Serfontein so I hope what I write here will be taken as objective and not as unjust criticism.

*   Serfontein as a junior showed that he is a serious and hardworking player - his strongest point was the indication that he is a thinking and instinctive player as well.

*   However,  there has been every indication that the positives in his game has been coached out of him.   I was aghast and upset - when in one of the Super 15 games last year - he continuously ran straight at defenders and was tackled hard in the process causing the Bulls  to be on the back foot.  He never was that kind of a center and is being destroyed by coaching.

*   There are some question marks about his defence - he missed tackles of forwards and heavier players too often for my liking,  He should look at his technique and try and strengthen that component of his game.

It is really relatively simple - let him -

*   play his natural game and not turn him  into what the Bulls regard as essential - a crashballing center - which definitely not is the way Serfontein will ever perform affectively  on top level;

*   work on his tackling technique - especially against the bigger and heavier players; and

*   work on his speed - he must be careful not to lose speed and actually try yo increase his capacity in the relevant regard.

I am afraid the Bulls is destroying this gifted youngster.  If he was playing for the Sharks or Cheetahs - he would be the top inside center in SA - or very near to it.   

I suppose the Bools coached him to ignore the player with the ball and let Mvovo through the gap? Objectively what I see is a young guy who arrived with a lot of enthusiam but the big leagues have knocked that out of him.

I see a mid sized centre with average pace. He has discovered he can't beat S15 centres through the outside gap....he isn't strong enough to knock them over....so he is left with the inside step. But the other teams know this, so after "beating" one tackle he runs slap into traffic. If he tries this in the RC he will be turned many times.

I know he is young and could theoretically improve....but where are his weapons? As for his defence, it's not good.....both in execution and in terms of vision.

 Saffex

I was positive and said "he is a thinking and instinctive player as well".   Only really talented players have that ability - so I never once questioned his talent.  Matter of fact I emphasized it.  

The next thing I said is that the Bulls are coaching his natural talent out of him  and trying to make him a crashballer - which he is not.  What is wrong with that?   It is even a positive insofar as Serfontein is concerned.  

I never mentioned the Mvovo issue at all - I know that Serfontein was not to be blamed for that.  What you apparently missed is the fact that Serfonten did miss three tackles on forwards in the game and that is not entirely a new one.  It also happened in some matches in Super 14 last year.   What I tried to convey is that he could improve in that aspect of his game and he would do so - of that I am sure.

What I write was NOT in any way critical of Serfontein - it mentioned one area of his game which could improve and it mentioned that the Bulls are killing his potential. 

And you either did not read my comments properly or just could not understand the contents - so go back and read it again - you are not being objecytive in going bananas about the issue.      

Saffex

What is wrong with you?   There is no comparison between the natural games of Serfontein and Steyn.  Serfontein never used to run straight at defenders like Steyn does  and the Bulls is trying to change it.   He is a much shrewder player and effective to aim at the gap between defenders.   Steyn is a physical player - not really an instinctive player.  Serfontein can and do make line breaks - something Steyn NEVER does.  If there is a choice between 2 players for no 12 - my choice would always be Serfontein - purely because he is a more talented and cleverer  player than Steyn.

Serfontein not only missed the tackle on Steyn - he missed two other tackles as well.   I can remember some Super 15 games last year where he missed as many as 4 attempted tackles.   What is wrong with me saying he needs to work a bit harder on that component of his game?  I know backline players will miss tackling the real heavies -but  if they work in it and use the right technique it would be less than it otherwise would be.   

Saffex

I am not ignoring anything about Jordaan's missed tackle on Greyling - what does the following mean:-

"I know backline players will miss tackling the real heavies -but if they work in it and use the right technique it would be less than it otherwise would be."

And even though you pretend otherwise - Serfointein did miss 3 tackles in total on Saturday and what I said about last year is factual as well.  You will shout and scream - but I am going to post Serfontein's  sats for three Super 15 matches to prove my point:

Last Saturday

I clearly saw the missed tackles and it did happen

Sharks Game - Super 15 2013 

2013 Highlanders Game

He did not have a good game that day = I can vouch for it - he was in my fantasy team and I wanted to vomit.