Ethan Hooker

Through the series, we've talked a lot about Colby.

We've talked about how well Ethan Hooker's come in.

But Kurtley Beale was almost the forgotten man of this series, and then he was absolutely superb in Baltimore, Brother.

He was.

They're like, they're exactly the same players, and I think that his way to be able to get, get in behind us in that, that kind of turnover attack that we pride ourselves on, he was able to do that, and multiple times actually in, in the game being able to make line breaks and get on top.

So, um, yeah, that was a big dominoes moment around being able to score that try.

But, um, yeah, even Ethan Hooker as well, his effort areas, being able to get the ball, chasing the ball, I think.

I just think the S- the South Africans, like looking back at it, played all to their strengths at different parts in that game.

Kriel.

Kriel, the little kick through from Hooker.

Jesse, Jesse.

It's a little grubber kick.

... will go back, and they'll go to Leier again.

He'll come down on the All Black 10-meter line, and taken down-

... beautifully by Hooker.

It was the aerial ability.

Ethan Hooker, Mourne van der Berg under the high ball, Kirtley Ahrenser, like literally you could list off all the players.

I thought that they were brilliant.

The best they've played in what was a stop-start game in Baltimore.

His box-kicking is unbelievable.

I mentioned at the start, your kicking game and the aerial ability is what gives you field position and it's what South Africa are the very best in the world at, is regaining the ball.

We see Chesley Colby in and around that area and Kirtley Aronson this weekend and Ethan Hooker, I mean, how good has he been? Not under the radar because he got man of the match last week, but just quietly goes about his business.

And with the best players in the world, you're looking for 8 out of 10 performances every week.

I think who came off? Was it Willemsen? I think it

was Hooker.

Was it Hooker?

Oh, Hooker.

Damien

Willemsen

think i think we are going to this one Aspect that we didn't look at, you know, I didn't mention, is the 13 cover.

You know, Andre Estre is in the Dame Willemshoek slot in the 12.

Yeah.

And a separate thing I just wanted before I answer your question to just think of the depth that you were talking about at Hooker, and I'm thinking at Loose Ford as well, Paul de Villiers has come in recently and been kind of one of the only new young players that is looking to be seriously injected into the loose forward mix that has been totally dominated by, for the right reasons, Peter Steff and Sia and Jasper for quite a long time now.

And I'm not sure that at any of the franchises we have players that are definitively putting their hands up in the same way that, you know, well, even at luck right now, because we're talking about Emil and Vincent, it's interesting to see what that next generation is.

In terms of the Australia game, I feel like Andre has to play.

I mean, everybody's progress, we say this often on this podcast, progress isn't linear.

Everyone's progress is different.

Not everybody can be Ethan Hooker, another player we developed from Durban, by the way, as well.

So Sharks do give young players a chance.

They're actually putting it at around the 15-meter, maybe 18-meter mark, and it will allow their chasers to get up.

Ethan Hooker, he is very, very good chasing the ball and dominate that space.

So I think it's probably time that they make those adjustments, make those changes, and go back to the old way of the guy on the backfield coming forward, getting up, putting a name on it, dominating the space, and just making it a genuine contest.

I just think it's time.

They're actually putting it at around the 15-meter, maybe 18-meter mark, and it will allow their chasers to get up.

Ethan Hooker, he is very, very good chasing the ball and dominate that space.

So I think it's probably time that they make those adjustments, make those changes, and go back to the old way of the guy on the backfield coming forward, getting up, putting a name on it, dominating the space, and just making it a genuine contest.

I just think it's time.