At this point in their careers. If you look at them individually and study each of their performances for the Boks...
Sacha < Hooker
My views on Sacha are well know so I won't bother with a disclaimer.
Could you please expand on this insight Plumpster. Nice change up though from speaking kak to causing kak!
No question Hooker is the more consistent and the steadier player but while Sacha has some flaky moments, he's also produced more moments of pure magic than any player I think I've ever seen.
Sacha for me, and I'm a huge fan of Ethan Hooker.
Sacha has been largely wasted within a poorly coached attack. Hooker doesn't carry the same responsibilities as the fly-half, so that has to be taken into consideration when comparing their respective performances. That's not intended to diminish Hooker in the slightest — he's been excellent.
In fact, despite his impressive showings, I would argue that Hooker himself is being considerably underutilised. We're seeing what he can manufacture from the opportunities that reach him, rather than what he might produce within an attack deliberately constructed to create those opportunities.
Build a genuinely Test-quality attacking system around Sacha — one that gives him options, movement and multiple threats to manipulate — and the benefits inevitably flow outward. Hooker becomes more dangerous. Arendse becomes more dangerous. The centres receive better ball against less settled defences. Suddenly we're asking defenders to make decisions rather than simply waiting for the next carrier.
That's why I don't see this as a question of choosing between Sacha's influence and Hooker's. Get the structure around Sacha right and you increase the attacking value of everyone outside him. The talent is ready and waiting.
