Because Alberts was one of the worst loosies we ever used in Springbok rugby. Because he was slow his defense was seriously deficient and he loved to stand around - never doing anything when it coms to breakdown ball protection and recovery, He mostly stood around in the back of breakdowns in the hope that the ball comes his way to make one of his ball spectacular carries - which rarely got over the gain line. A tight 5 player that was not a loosie, neutralizing play that was expected from loosies. I remember one test against the AB's where he gave away 2 tries because f poor defense and non-existent ball protection and recovery.
To lay him neutralized combined forward and backline attacking. IN the 2015 WC in 2015 he was one of the players that should never have been in the Meyer squad - he never played n any of those WC matches . Reason in the 14 months before he never played in tests for 14 months because he had a fat tear injury. When Meyer was fired as Stade Francais coach, Alberts was one of the two players who was fired with him by the Club - the other being Morne Steyn - and the three was on the same plane coming back to SA.
Here we have a sterling example of why especially loosies - but also other forwards - should be able to link with backline attacks and this century that never happened in the case of Springbok rugby because the loosies were mere extensions of the tight 5 players. You want more attacking rugby and the fact that you refer to Alberts indicates total cluelessness on attacking rugby on your .part.
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Obviously the appointment of the new coaches associated with a more balanced game is reaching out for something. Various adjectives are used, but it’s more evocative to name a team that looks like the Bok vision.
That doesn’t mean this team is better than the Boks, Ireland, to me the best model will likely lose on their South African tour. But the Irish game plan executed by our talent could be the ticket.
France’s approach is hard to define….England not much different to where we are today. NZ and Oz if it still exists, don’t bring facets we dominate into play and mentally are a bridge too far.
So Ireland. I see them doing pretty much all the things we do except defense. Key in this change will be to keep our smothering defense. What’s more interesting is what they add. Easiest to adopt, forwards who can offload and construct passing interplay.
We already have that in the Stormers and the Bools. It shouldn’t be hard for the Boks. But we need a forward ball carrier who can break tackles to go beyond Ireland. A Willem Alberts type.
Ireland also use some intricate wrap round moves in the backs, often involving Sexton. Can we get some sleight of hand in our back play? That will require a real playmaker at 12 and Esterhozen does this every week, without losing any physicality.
Would a more physical, more athletic team playing in the Irish mode be formidable. You betcha! And Erasmus has Irish rugby pedigree which should make these changes more intuitive to him.
Stick with moz.