I’m going to try something different this week – let me know if you prefer it.
Instead of a long, blow-by-blow analysis, I’m just going to call out the best and worst. Like this:
Most tackles: Marco Wentzel (12), Jacques Botes (11), Louis Ludik (11)
Best tackle %: Dale Chadwick, Marco Wentzel, Lwazi Mvovo, Kyle Cooper, Edwin Hewitt, Justin downey, Jaco van Tonder (100% each)
Most missed tackles: Jean Deysel (8), Fred Zeilinga (5), Heimar Williams (5)
Worst tackle %: Deysel (46.7), Williams (58.3)
Most passes (ecxl halfbacks): Jacques Botes (9), SP Marais (8)
Most runs: SP Marais (12), Jean Deysel (8)
Most metres: SP Marais (85), Odwa Ndungane (73)
Most tackle busts: SP Marais (7), Lwazi Mvovo (7)
Most advantage line crosses: Jean Deysel (7), Dale Chadwick(4)
Most rucks: Jean Deysel (16), Marco Wentzel (13)
Most involvements: Marco Wentzel (15), Jacques Botes (15)
Most turnovers won: Keegan Daniel (4), Jean Deysel (4)
Most turnovers conceded: Cobus Reinach (4), Odwa Ndungane (3), Kyle Cooper (3)
Most penalties conceded: Ryno Gerber (3), Dale Chadwick (2)
Best forward: Marco Wentzel
Best back: SP Marais

Much easier to read Rob!
Cannot believe Deysel missed 8 tackles?!
I like it!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : kind of scary, isn’t it?
I assume the turnovers won include stealing line-out ball.
Because Botes was bossing the rucks, yet his name is not there..
So there is a misconception that Deysel isn’t mobile, it would seem.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : well this is funny, because according to the stats I have, JB only won 2 turnovers.
I also wondered about tht
Great format thanks
should also have mentioned Daniel and Marais, 3 offloads each.
That’s SP Marais
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
I’m sure I counted three in the first half, but I must have mistaken. I was tweeting and writing a match report while the match was on, so I can be forgiven..
Much better to follow
Yeah great to see it this way.
So Marco, who many felt was too old, got the most tackles 12/12, 13 rucks, and 15 involvements, and topped it off by scoring our bonus point try. Cannot wait to see him and PSDT both on the field.
@robdylan (Comment 8) : You forgot another vital stat:
Before SP Marias joined the Sharks
Fear level based on Ludik leaving the Sharks: 87%
After SP Marias joined the Sharks
Fear level based on Ludik leaving the Sharks: 7.83%
I guess I’m alone in liking the previous format of analysis.
@war1 (Comment 13) : I prefer typing this format
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) :
Tackle stats can be extremely misleading.
Wayne Smith wrote a whole article on how stats, and in particular the tackle stat, can be entirely a farce.
That being said, we did see Deysel being bumped off a few times on Saturday.
Yip, I like it.
@John Galt (Comment 15) : JA jirre it scared me the way that Vleis bliksem pushed one of my favorite sharks to one side like a vrot fokken skoen! It had me REALLY worried there!!! At that stage I thought the tide was turning in the bulls favor.
@John Galt (Comment 15) :
I couldnt agree more. Obviously we want our players to make every tackle but, truth be told, there are tackles that count and tackles that dont.
There are also tackles that are barely made (yet still counted) and then there are those tackles that change games.
Perhaps the physical nature of Deysel’s play is catching up with him? Lets hope it was just a “bad” day at the office. After all despite the missed tackles he still had a big impact on the game
@robdylan (Comment 14) : Fair enough. We can do analysis in the comments to an extent.
@Half-Pint (Comment 19) : I reckon we need Stander fit again, so he can rotate with Wolla a bit at 7.
Even Bismarck got bumped by non other than than Etzebeth remember. Shit happens, it’s how you deal with it that counts.
I prefer the new method.
Everything is “most” though how about adding some “leasts” as well?
Least tackles, least meters gained, least rucks attended for a forward etc.
How about kisting the actual tackles in tackle percentages. 100% of 1 is nothing compared to 100% of 12.
I think stats is nice but should be secondery to how well did the player perform his primary functions.
@JD (Comment 24) : as an example. A prop should be at the rucks.
@JD (Comment 24) : Not trying to be argumentative, but for me that’s not the most important factor. We wan’t all round performances.
You can’t have mobile front and back rowers if they can’t scrum, just like you can’t ignore work rate and mettle.
Why don’t you just summarise for tackles all 20 odd players sorted by effectiveness. Eg player1 (10 / 12) , player2 (8/11) … And then by quantity
I think it would be more informative than trying to pick out 3 or 4 players under 4 headings where you tend to lose the contribution made by a player who didnt excel but was not average either
@Talent (Comment 26) : @KSA Shark © (Comment 25) : Yes alround ability is a factor today but if say a hooker can’t throw straight in at line-outs he has no place as a hooker in currie cup and super rugby, no matter his work rate (yes I know it’s impossable to have a 100% record so one or two a season is ok but a hooker can’t function on 30%). A prop should be mobile but he needs to be able to keep the scrum steady and not go backwards at 100 km/h every scrum.
@robdylan (Comment 8) : good to see SP up there
Zeilinga and Williams need to work on their defense
@robdylan (Comment 21) : I was a bit shocked to see Deysel sitting on his back side. Not a sight us Sharkies are use to. But yes let’s hope that he just had a bad day and a rest might just be what the man needs.
@vanmartin (Comment 12) :
that might be true to some extend. I would however like him to remain part of the squad to rotate with SP.
@Farlington (Comment 32) : I think we all would, I’m a huge Ludik fan, but that ship seems to have sailed.
@vanmartin (Comment 33) : yes, it has.
I believe those wheels were set in motion a long time before the changes happened in Durban. Louis’ continued ignoring by the Bok coach played a big role too
@robdylan (Comment 34) : But Zane is planning to be ‘a bit more alert’ this coming weekend so Louis really isn’t needed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh26-Yc1uZI
@vanmartin (Comment 35) : Don’t want to talk kak on a subject we all know too well….
But did you see what they are practicing on?
@R Hayward (Comment 36) : If you’re referring to the cricket oval, yeah I saw. Only reason I can think of is to possibly emulate the Suncorp’s stadium hard pitch?