'Weekend special' Fassi starting to tick defence box on path back to Boks

There's been a notion that Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi, for all his attacking gifts, is a defensively shaky player.

He wouldn't be the first, nor the last fullback or outside back to have this perceived weakness, even though coaches have often found a way around such.

Veteran Springbok fullback Willie le Roux, for example, has never shrugged off suggestions throughout his long career that tackling is not his strongest weapon as the last line of defence.