wixfjord wrote:Stander was excellent yesterday. Really got us going forward and tackled like a demon. He and Hendo really added a lot, and the rest of the pack upped their performances too.
This thing of kicking high on penalty advantage is strange. Rarely if ever works.
On Stockdale, it’s strange to say but if he didn’t score so many tries I’d doubt he’d be picked! Very selfish, tentative under high ball and gets turned over in contact a good bit.
But he’s by far our most dangerous back three player and a key man in strike moves.
I think Stander adds an awful lot in terms of the energy and enthusiasm he brings. I don't think it's a coincidence that our flattest performance in years came when he had a broken face and was taken off early. Seeing him sprint past Sexton when he came out of the tunnel made me think that we were going to perform much better than recent weeks. His hands for Earls' try were really good too, people are so critical of him not passing but that was brilliant and seems to be going under the radar.
I don't like us kicking when we have advantage but I could see the logic yesterday. I suspect that the thinking was that we weren't set up to run the ball (although think we could have the first time, but not the second) so just put it up on Huget because chances are he'll have switched off and be out of position, and even if he hasn't then the conditions made a catch really difficult. So didn't mind us doing it, but did think that Earls was very slow to get up there both times.
Stockdale was a bit hesitant and out of position a couple of times yesterday but I don't think it's a regular thing, usually like his work in the air. Larmour can get caught under the ball a bit, and also hesitates when he has to run onto it. I have a feeling that he's too worried about leaving his 22 exposed when he's sitting deep so is afraid to commit to balls between the 22 and the 10, but then overcommits to high balls when he pushes forward and there's more cover behind him. Still thought he played well, but that area does need a of work.