El Diablo wrote:If you were to pick on form, you would have to pick Conan ahead of Stander. Stander is a great player and a leader on the pitch but too predictable in terms of his ball carrying. The French will line him up all day long. Conan has much better hands and will look for the offload more than Stander (I appreciate this could be a negative for selection with Joe!).
Stander is an top international class blindside but a Pro14 quality number 8. He is, as you say, too one dimensional at 8 - but at 6 a lot of those negatives become benefits and he is a hard worker.
However, we seem to be in thrall to the concept of POM being an international - why, I don't know. I'd go so far to say that Munster erred in making such a big deal of keeping him, if he were let go and a top quality number 8 signed, they'd have a far better back row with Stander at 6, Cloete at 7 and the new guy at 8.
If anyone can give a positive review of POMs play over the last two years without mentioning the lineout, theres a bag of jellies in it for them.
edit: Stander at 6...