Wes Fofana vs Juan de Jongh

Fofana, the back of the day in the France vs Pom affair is a close match to Juan de Jongh in running style and size.

Fofana ....5' 10" / 190 lbs

De Jongh 5' 9" / 194 lbs.

The theory is de Jongh is too small to play for the Boks. He may not be the best choice for other reasons, but size has nothing to do with it. Fofana scored one of the best centre's tries in recent years. He is the perfect answer to those who claim centres now have to be sumo wrestlers.

Nor does size matter that much in all but close channel defence. Tuilagi used Bastareaud as something to bounce off all match.....but little Morgan Parra took him down at full pace, with a scything low tackle. It reminded me of Joost on Lomu.

You are still carrying on about De Jongh.   Why don't you quote his performance  stats and then comment on him as a potential Springbok center?   Until you do that discussion of his possible elimination from selction is really meaningless.   De Jongh is not only small - he has no ball sense and skills as well.  

I am not subnscribing to some comments about the need to have outsized backlie players - whether they have ball sense or not.   A smaller player with ball sense is generally  a better rugby player than a big one without it.

No Mike I am not "carrying on" about de Jongh. That's your province. I'm making the point that players de Jongh's size can be very effective in test rugby...and giving a topical example.

Follow the bouncing ball...there's a good chap!

Mozart

I said clearly that I do not believe size of players are the only criterium for selection - but you quoted a very bad example to illustrate you point.  I think that ball sense is a key element.  A smaller player with ball sense is better than a big player without it.

 Fofana is 196lbs, I have the official match programme in front of me, my little man went to the game.

He is a far better player than de Jongh, but struggles to command a regular starting spot in the French side and has played a few tests at 14.......so hardly the yardstick. He was good yesterday, but one test does not define a player

Point is a 190lb player is fine......these guys are all trying to show a higher weight. But he is not a big man.

My guess is that his lack of size has accounted for him not commanding a regular starting spot. He is 25 and only won 8 caps, three of which were on the wing.