Nonsense, when Etzebeth and Lood play together why on earth would one of them be less involved in the physical stuff be it tackles made or taking the ball up.
The stats tell us otherwise anyway........in the last game against Wales, Lood and Etzebeth received similar amount of balls and both made similar metres......there was 1m in it.
Fact is Matfield adds nothing different to the line-outs or kick-offs, the notion that he reigns supreme in these aspects of play is a load of utter rubbish. He is no better or worse than Etzebeth, Lood or PSDT in the line-outs and the stats prove that.
In modern day tests you cant afford to have a tightforward who lets you down in the physical stakes, do that and you concede the physical edge. There is a reason we have started winning again......we are dominating the physical battles. This physical dominance far outweighs the odd open field tackle or pass that pap Vic makes.
Without doubt in my mind, Matfield has been our biggest liability on the field since he returned to the Boks......he is too old and too small to live as a test lock. He is not capable of imposing himself physically......there can be no greater sin in a test lock.
Its the very reason the very talented and tenacious Mostert of the Lions will never be considered at test level.
