MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
01 Sept 2018, 18:34#1
The Boks are an unsettled lot, no doubt there will be some changes for this game. Some forever, none for better one suspects. But already the scribes are convincing themselves yet again that serial failures are the answer.
We can, however, be more certain who Clermont will be fielding, even if Gaspard Folau is still out. The team has an effective backline, with clever playmakers in Bernard and Lebeale. These players are far more dangerous than their Bargie counterparts......Bernard hauling in Jordie Barrett with a fine turn of pace. It's a competent backline.
The pack still struggles with their longstanding scrumming issue and the lineout is ordinary. But in Patrice Pocock and Maxime Hooper they have two of the five best fetchers in the game....with a great sense of where to find the truffel.
Admittedly the coaching under Mohamed Cheika has hardly looked convincing and there are some backline weaknesses on defence like Lebeale and Maxime Koroibete. But do we have the vision to exploit these opportunities?
In any case Clermont are at home at the Stade Marcel- Michelin......also known as the Bastille Auverge...it's a tough ask.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
01 Sept 2018, 18:55#3
Mohamed ( now the 10th most popular French name) Cheika will no doubt back the partnership but it has it's downsides. Still we no longer do power packs and against Whiteley and Kolisi it's not a big risk.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
01 Sept 2018, 20:25#6
I'd play Mostert at 7, he is a far more mobile defender than du Toit.....start with Etzebeth and Snyman, and bring Stephanie off the bench at lock which seems to be his best role.
02 Sept 2018, 09:28#12
“Sure my lord the expert. Incidentally I am not a female - so please do not try and state I am.”
Then there was that picture of a guy with the biggest pair of norks......
02 Sept 2018, 12:53#16
And you're yet to share a rugby opinion with us oh'wise one...
AUAugenöffner
Pro6,974 posts
AUAugenöffnerPro6,974 posts
02 Sept 2018, 15:34#18
Beeno, Steph is not worthy enough to step into Juan's shadow! Juan was never fully recognized for his toughness and talent. A tremendous all round player, one of the greatest ever Boks. If we ever produce another player like him again, we will be very fortunate. We've had many players come and go, but nobody came close enough to filling the void left by him. Schalk came closest. Alberts was next.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 17:00#19
Well there's your lie Tokkie ....you said Stephanie was 19 to 1 in his last test......he was in fact 4 to 3 missed.
You said Mostert was 5 to 2 in his last test, he was in fact 8 to3.
8 to 3 vs 4 to 3.....case closed.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 17:50#20
So about Stephanie's history as a flank. His first match on the flank was against Japan.
The Boks overall record when Stephanie started at flank is 6 losses vs 2 wins....one against Italy. Mostert's overall record at lock is 7 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw.
Mostert has never started as Bok flank, but for the Lions his tackling stats overall were 237 tackles, the most of any player....at 84%. Stephanie made 191 tackles at 84%.
So their stats for Super Rugby, where they both played flank and lock were close. I believe, but can't prove, that Mostert was much wider ranging in his tackling....I recall him making a number of crucial open field tackles. What is true is he is a more agile man and will most likely be more suited to flank.
That would provide us with a great back of the lineout option, he is an adaptible jumper, with the most steals in Super Rugby, a good indicator for back of the lineout jumping.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 18:23#22
Stephanie has no lateral explosiveness......he can make the process tackles, in open field he is a tanker trying to catch destroyers.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 20:55#24
Durban was not the "Last Test of Each" ..../get with it, take a pill, get off the sauce.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 22:26#26
So you compare two different tests......one of which we won and one of which we lost with very poor tackling stats for all. And then you get it wrong....Mostert was 8/3 not 5/2.
You don't want to deal with the last test, which you referenced, because du Toit was subbed on at minute 47 and then missed almost half his tackles. That's not fair game.
So lets go back to the last test they both started...the 3rd Pom test. Mostert is 19 to 3....vs Stephanie at 8 to 1. It's obvious who the more valuable defender was.....and Mostert was at lock.
In aggregate for the year so far Mostert is 48/10 vs Stephanie at 48/9. But Stephanie has mostly played flank and Mostert has played lock......and Mostert has played one less test. Advantage Mostert.
And that doesn't take into account the quality of some of Mostert's tackles like his brilliant corner flagging tackle in the first Bargie test.
Enough of your pathetic logic and childish insults.
PAPakie
Captain17,321 posts
02 Sept 2018, 22:28#27
How about we be sensible and look at the last two times they both played 80 minutes together.
1st test vs England:
Mostert 5/3Du Toit 12/3
3rd test vs England:
Mostert 19/3Du Toit 8/1
Total:
Mostert - 24/6Du Toit - 20/4
Most accurate performances this season:
Mostert 16/1 - first test vs EnglandDu Toit 19/1 - first test vs Argentina
I don't know what that's really supposed to tell us or why tackling stats is suddenly the be all and end all indicator of a player's work rate or mobility since a lot of these tackles probably take place around the fringes of set pieces and breakdowns (among other variables beyond a player's control, like the side the attacking team chooses to go versus the side the player is lining up on), but it's much more fair to both players as a comparison than simply picking their last test.
MOMozart
Captain49,914 posts
MOMozartCaptain49,914 posts
02 Sept 2018, 22:51#28
We should be able to argue that Mostert is the more compact player, who can change direction more easily...and is more comfortable making open field tackles....or simply disagree.
But in Tokkie's world it's always a lie when there is a disagreement so we are forced into these sterile stat debates.
My sense is when Stephanie comes on he becomes first receiver and first defender....producing a lot of process tackles and routine ball carries. Nothing out of the very ordinary.
My own ranking is at international level Stephanie is the better lock and Mostert is the better flank and the better lineout captain. But I would pick Snyman ahead of Stephanie at 5....so I see PSDT as our lock sub.
PAPakie
Captain17,321 posts
03 Sept 2018, 08:50#31
Nope. My assessment is fair to both players by comparing the tests they were both involved in for 80 minutes and also highlighting the best defensive stats for both players for the year.
You took Mostert's worst defensive stats (wherever you got that nonexistent 5/2 stat from) and compared it to Steph's best defensive stats for the year.
Spot the difference? Of course you don't.
