Baldy highlights DDA's breakdown work. Same thing that Esterhuizen does at 12, it's part of a modern 12's job and is hardly exclusive to DDA. Just the last URC weekend we saw Esterhuizen, just one example, cleaning a ruck on the Sharks line that led directly to a try because of opening up fast possession. How ironic that we now hear Esterhuizen has looked better at flank than at center, where his primary job is hitting those rucks and breakdowns, but at the same time Baldy here wants to tell us no one can fill DDA's boots in this respect. The absurdity of it all.
On defense we lose nothing to Esterhuizen despite how Baldy here talks up DDA's defense as if no one can fill those boots. There is zero basis for that.
On attack we gain a much smarter, more dynamic player in Esterhuizen. The key stat highlighted during our destruction of the All Blacks in the RC was the dominant carry one - how many fewer dominant carries we had in that game, leading to faster possession because you don't have players burrowing ahead slowly just to make an extra meter. Into contact, down, quick recycle.
Look at the passage leading to Kolbe's try - scrum on halfway, Reinach breaks. Tackled, he turns and pops the ball to Kolisi - immediate dynamic possession that allows Kolisi to run into space before the All Blacks can even arrive at the tackle. Kolisi goes 20+ meters downfield with Esterhuizen on his six all the way. He lays it back, Esterhuizen is right there and wastes no time - picks it up, keeps moving, identifies Kolbe open wide, slings the perfect skip pass, try. You will never in your life see DDA do a support run like that, nor that kind of instant, perfect decision making and execution all in one play. The All Blacks didn't have time to breathe or settle during that whole sequence, they're just chasing Boks. This is the game we're missing out on with someone like Captain Slow at 12.
But hey, let people have the joy of watching him burrow ahead at half the speed of smell (thanks, Ron White). We're selling ourselves short, but you either get that or you don't. Clearly it's not something that can be explained to people who simply get their opinions from other people who get their opinions from yet other people.
Beeno, all you ever do is tell us "see what these people say". You have not a single original, authentic thought in your head.
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More grief for Plumster and Mozzietard. Please note the relevant comments oaks.
The pack and pack reserves are easier to pick than the backline..Will Willemse be playing.