Something special
28 Oct 2010
MIKE GREENAWAY, writing in SA Rugby magazine, says Patrick Lambie is the future of South African rugby.
In the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, the mink and manure belt of the Garden Province, the favourite sport of Hilton College old boys is to ask their bitter rivals from Michaelhouse how many Springbok rugby players they have produced.
The Balgowan school has spawned war heroes (the flag flown at World War I’s bloody battle of Delville Wood is proudly displayed in one of the eating establishments), politicians, prestigious authors, captains of industry, national cricketers, swimmers and athletes … even Spud Milton (of the John van der Ruit books) went to the stately school modelled so closely on the posh English public schools, but so far the eight rugby fields on the sprawling estate have yet to produce a rugby Springbok.
Perhaps the most genuine indication that the school might at last break its unfortunate duck came in Patrick Lambie’s Grade 11 year. The flyhalf had missed his U16 season because of a serious injury and when he pitched up for training the next year, the flyhalf berth was already secured by the older Guy Cronjé, who was partnered at scrumhalf by his twin brother, Ross (both of whom have gone on to play for the Sharks).
So the coaches asked Pat if he wanted to try fullback. How did he react to changing positions after not having played rugby for a year? By the end of the season he was picked at fullback for SA Schools.
The following year, his matric year, he was in the SA Schools No 15 jersey once more. In fact, he also played KZN Schools rugby and cricket two years in a row, and that elite club can’t have too many members …
As Sharks captain Stefan Terblanche puts it, rather amusingly: ‘The next Michaelhouse old boy who asks me if Pat is going to be their first Springbok, I might have to shoot! But having said that, if he’s not their first Bok, then they will have to wait another 100 years …’
Towards the end of his first year out of school, Lambie made his debut for the Sharks – a 20-minute stint off the bench in a Currie Cup match – and was then drafted into the Super 14 training squad. Midway through the Sharks’ troubled Super 14 tour earlier this year he made his run-on debut.
Lambie took time out from the Sharks to play fullback for the SA U21 team in Argentina and was one of the stand-out performers at the international tournament, finishing up as the second highest points scorer.
He has been a fixture in the Sharks team ever since the Super 14 tour and the only debate around his continued inclusion has been where best to utilise his talent – fullback, centre or flyhalf.
And this, of course, has brought up the old chestnut of whether the Sharks are going to do a ‘Brent Russell’ and produce another ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’, as has allegedly been the story with Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar (although this was more the case at Springbok level).
The good news for South African rugby is that young Lambie is being carefully managed by the ever-cautious John Plumtree.
‘There has been good communication between all relevant parties from the word go and that is very important because wherever Patrick plays, he must be positive about it,’ the Sharks coach says. ‘He is still at the stage of his career where he is enjoying the experience simply of playing at this level. Moving from 15, which he knows well, to 12 and then to 10 has been good for him because it has exposed a few minor weaknesses in his game that he otherwise might not have known about. When the novelty wears off and he wants to settle into a position, we will talk about it.’
Interestingly, Lambie says an inspiration for him at school was Steyn and the impact he made first with the Sharks and then with the Springboks at fullback, flyhalf and centre.
‘I looked up to Frans because he gave us schoolboys hope that we could get a break sooner rather than later and excel at the highest level,’ Lambie says.
The softly-spoken youngster conducts himself in interviews with unfailing politeness and good manners. He is as humble and charming a young man as you could possibly chance to meet. But what are his thoughts on the position he would most like to play?
‘I’ve enjoyed 15, 12 and 10 and I don’t yet know which one I’m best at or which one I enjoy the most. But with a bit more time and experience I’ll be able to decide on a position, put my mind to it and stay there,’ he says.‘At fullback I have always enjoyed taking the high ball – even though I’m not the tallest, I like that bit of pressure – and then also the space you have at the back to read the game.
‘At flyhalf, I like being close to the ball and getting my hands on it as much as possible, as well as being able to make decisions and link with the players around me. The same goes for 12, which also has the added attraction of being a major avenue of attack for the opposition, and I’m happy with that because I enjoy tackling.’
The impressive thing about Lambie’s progression from 15 to 12 and then to 10 is that he has got increasingly better the closer he has got to the ball. He was excellent at fullback and when he was moved to 12 questions were asked about the wisdom of the move, but he responded superbly there, and when he was moved to 10 he again met and then surpassed the challenge.
‘I have honestly enjoyed all three positions,’ he says, ‘and maybe it helped that I played 12 after fullback before moving to 10, but the most important thing is that I’ve played a sequence of games in each position. I haven’t played one game here, one game there, and then gone back to the previous position.’
An avid admirer of Lambie is former Springbok and Maritzburg College flyhalf Joel Stransky, and he feels that consultation with experts in the three positions Lambie has played will help make the decision on where he should ultimately settle.
‘First of all, I’d like to say that I’ve enjoyed watching Patrick play, and what has stood out for me is that old indication of how good a player is – the time he seems to have to make decisions that other players don’t,’ Stransky says. ‘He never gets flustered, he never panics. There’s no hint of alarm about his play. He has brilliant skills, a kicking game, tackles very well and, most importantly, he has a wonderful temperament.’
But Stransky suggests that Plumtree sits down with a fullback specialist such as André Joubert, a renowned centre like Dick Muir and a flyhalf of the calibre of Henry Honiball and ask them for an analysis of where Lambie’s skills set is best suited.
‘Sometimes where the player feels he should play and where he’s best suited are not the same,’ Stransky advises. ‘I’ve seen that with Frans Steyn. He wanted to play 10, then 15, but maybe 12 is his best position?’
But where does Stransky feel Lambie should play? ‘The more I think about it, the more I feel that a kid with his talent has to be as close to the ball as possible. I’d play him at flyhalf.’
And is Lambie ready to tour with the Springboks in November? Stransky certainly believes so but Plumtree would prefer the youngster’s Springbok debut to wait a while.
Stransky says: ‘Good enough is old enough. We have a major issue in this country at Springbok level right now and we need youngsters to come through fast and learn the ropes.’
Plumtree is not so sure: ‘Look, he’s unquestionably an international class player. He’s a natural, he’s a very calm young man with an old head on a young body. To be straightforward, he’s a bloody good kid, and is an absolute pleasure to have in your squad.
‘Personally, I don’t think it’s necessary for him to tour in November. A good Super Rugby campaign will grow his confidence, while this end-of-year tour might not be the happiest and I’d hate to see him take a knock. But if they decide to take half a dozen youngsters and he’s one of them, then good on him.’
The theme of Lambie being cool, calm and collected is a recurring one, going way back to his primary school days. His class teacher and sports coach at Clifton school in Durban, Barry Mezher, says he was a gifted sportsman and natural leader to whom his peers naturally gravitated.
‘It stood out for me that at such a young age here was a kid who always put the needs of his team-mates above his own, led by example and deflected attention and praise to others,’ Mezher says. ‘He was empathetic to his peers and could be innovative in finding ways to get the best out of them.’
Mezher adds that Lambie was also an exceptional cricketer: ‘He had the sweetest of timing as a batsman and as a bowler had the discipline and calmness to bowl line-and-length deliveries that irritated batsmen into submission with his accuracy.’
At Michaelhouse, his school masters soon picked up that the best asset of this brilliant sportsman – he was also a very good swimmer – was his temperament. He never got flustered and the bigger the occasion, the better he reacted to pressure.
Alan Redfern, Lambie’s housemaster, says that perhaps the best way to sum him up is to point out how his peers responded to him.
‘When he was announced as head boy he was the unanimous choice by pupils and staff and was given a spontaneous standing ovation, which is rare.’
At the conclusion of his matric year, Redfern says that Lambie had ‘set a new benchmark for the role of head prefect’.
He was involved positively in a number of cultural and social activities at the school. As well as being a chapel server and senior member of the school’s Christian Representative Council, he was the chairman of the Toastmasters Society and served on the school’s Student Representative Council.
Redfern says Lambie was always ‘quietly at the forefront’, avoiding the limelight where possible but when in it, conducting himself with humility.
The balance between sport and academics has continued after school. Lambie is currently in his second year of a BA degree through Unisa, specialising in environmental management. He says it involves his favourite subjects, geography and economics, and it could qualify him one day to be involved in a passion of his: animals and conservation.
In the meantime, Patrick Lambie is living his dream. It is not that long ago that he was one of the barefoot kids running around the Kings Park outer fields playing touch rugby while his parents braaied.
The Lambie family are true Sharks fans, always have been, going back to the early-80s when dad Ian was a stalwart for Berea Rovers and played a handful of games for Natal before a serious knee injury ended his career, while Pat’s grandfather, Nick Labuschagne (Caz Lambie’s dad) is a former president of the Natal Rugby Union and was intricately involved in the administration of the 1995 World Cup. He also played 50-odd games for Natal and five for England. So the game is very much in Pat’s genes.
‘The rugby background in our family helped me make the decision on whether to choose cricket or rugby as my career,’ he says. ‘It ended up being quite easy, really. I love cricket but rugby is my passion.’
– This article first appeared in the October issue of SA Rugby magazine. The November issue is on sale now.
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523 Comments
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28 Oct 2010, 08:54 am
whoopass dragons!
28 Oct 2010, 09:04 am
Hopefully he stays humble not like his idol Steyn
28 Oct 2010, 09:06 am
Lambie is a great prospect but WeePee will take the Cup on Saturday.
Kings on Friday
WeePee on Saturday
Nice weekend where sweet things fall into place.
28 Oct 2010, 09:08 am
He’s just not there yet. I’m not betting against him though. Good luck to him.
I’m really keen to see how he matches up this weekend. It’s the biggest game of his career so far.
28 Oct 2010, 09:09 am
the time is right now for lambie. He doesn’t have a great deal of length in his kicking game,but he makes up for it in his distribution, running and tackling-add fdp at 9 and suddenly line kicking is less of an issue for the flyhalf. Butch is still my man for the WC.
28 Oct 2010, 09:22 am
overrated, over-hyped, hasn’t done anything to be called the ‘future’ of SA Rugby! This is just Natal hyperbole on overdrive!
Let the boy play a season or two of super rugby, he doesn’t have more talent than his peers ie james o’connor or israel dagg!
28 Oct 2010, 09:24 am
transformation .. you forgot “white” you have never ever complimented a white player … sad dude … sad!
28 Oct 2010, 09:28 am
Something special is players like Rabbit o Connor, Dagg, Cooper, Bjorn Basson!
However, Lambie on par and bit better than Morne Steyn
28 Oct 2010, 09:30 am
It’s not a black or white thing. I happen to agree with Transformation.
Lambie is a solid player, but there is no indication so far that he is going to be a massive factor at international level in future.
It is way too early to make these kind of predictions.
28 Oct 2010, 09:31 am
7. TOMATOBOY_RALEPELLE
(QUOTA_CONRAD_JANTJIES_IS_JORRIE_MULLER): hehehe you’re ridiculous, where were you when we were ‘battling’ the schalk fans last year screaming for ratel brussow to be in the team only to be told schalla has an ‘aura’? I praised heinrich and he is ‘white’ happy now?
28 Oct 2010, 09:34 am
he’s
smaller
but he
reminds me
of that
old struggler
huge
piece of
****
aka
hugh reece
edwards
so he can
only be
mediocre
28 Oct 2010, 09:35 am
Elton Jantjies is the future of SA rugby
28 Oct 2010, 09:37 am
With everybody singing his praises and talking of how great he’s gonna be, expectations will be high for him WHEN (not if) he gets a call-up to the Boks.
And thanks to Keo proclaiming him to be the future of SA Rugby, having a “good/solid” game won’t do, being the prodigal talent he is supposed to be.
Like Captain Whoopass and trans said, let him develop and gain experience.
I don’t want to see him with the Boks before the 2011 WC.
After that, it’ll be between Lambie/Steyn/Jantjies vying for the 10 jersey
28 Oct 2010, 09:37 am
I agree that he probably doesn’t have the x factor like a cooper, but he’ll take the ball to the line, get the back line away, and tackle his heart out- are we confident that Morne Steyn can do any of these things?
28 Oct 2010, 09:37 am
oh dear this is going to upset a few people.
its a bit unfair to compare him to O’Connor etc they are not in their first season of pro rugby.
he is a good prospect but lets not get ahead of ourselves.
28 Oct 2010, 09:37 am
Whilst I am inclined to agree with Tac and Tranny on this one, the boy still needs a bit of time in the saddle, this article is superbly written.
Mike Greenaway, you are a man amongst boys as far as journalists go on this website.
28 Oct 2010, 09:39 am
Wow. Tacitus and Transie agreeing. See, this is what happens when our Bulls lose a game people! The world spins completely out of its orbit!
28 Oct 2010, 09:41 am
12. ZINTO(ZINTO): elton too is not there yet, he hasn’t even seen the field in a super rugby comp! Aaron Cruden was a phenom @ age-group level – IRB player of the year – and yet he found it hard @ pivot in the the S14 this year…
Both lambie & jantjies were nowhere close to being named the best players @ age group but they sure as bob have talent…no need to trumpet it unnecessarily!
28 Oct 2010, 09:42 am
I like this kid.
28 Oct 2010, 09:43 am
Lambis is good but no that good. He has great vision but his lack of pace will prevent him from ever being great. He also lacks the boot neccesary for a great flyhlaf and place kicker.
Elton Jantjies is the man!
28 Oct 2010, 09:44 am
The hype around this guy is way too early. He is a good solid young player, but nowhere near an international flyhalf yet. His goal kicking especially needs a lot of work.
Gerhard van der Heever was also hyped up like this by Bulls fans when he made his break, and he turned out to be very average wing. Not in the top 6 wings in the Currie Cup imo.
Judge him after a few seasons, I don’t think he is ready to be a bok.
28 Oct 2010, 09:45 am
Talking of kicking, Eddie Jones has a nice piece on the new art of kicking under the current laws.
28 Oct 2010, 09:47 am
ok so everyone thinks that he is too green or just solid. What are the other options? surely Morne steyn is not the answer.
28 Oct 2010, 09:49 am
21. PYPKAN(PYPKAN): Yes Gerhard van den Heever is but a “Shadow” of the supposed great wing the Bulls proclaimed him to be…
28 Oct 2010, 09:53 am
frankie
don’t be smug.
it’s not a good look.
the guy is in his second season of rugby.
lets see how he goes shall we?
28 Oct 2010, 09:56 am
@24 ….but he runs fast and at the Bulls you don’t need to be a good wing as you never see the ball. You know he can’t tackle but he is getting the experience.
28 Oct 2010, 09:58 am
@22. PissAnt(PissAnt): I read that. Good article.
28 Oct 2010, 09:58 am
25. GUNTHER(GUNTHER): how many seasons should Hurdles be given Gunman?
28 Oct 2010, 10:04 am
Hurdles is a good wing. Very good in fact, but again he come up against many other very good wings, some who at this stage of his career are better than him. But he has time on his side, so it’s up to him.
It’s like being a good loosie in SA. Nice, but not exactly guaranteeing you a Bok place.
28 Oct 2010, 10:05 am
transie
well his first season wasn’t terrible.
and he scored quite a few tries in superrugby this year.
and he is still under 21.
why?
is he too white wing for you?
28 Oct 2010, 10:09 am
having said that I would love the bulls to buy Mapoo.
together with Basson he would be lethal.
plus the bulls could do with some more absas.
otherwise Maria will buy loftus and rename it Tshwane ABSA Supersaver Park.
That will learn them.
28 Oct 2010, 10:09 am
When he for the first time will play Kiwis, Aussies and Europeans, then we’ll see what’s his potential worth.
28 Oct 2010, 10:12 am
31. gunther(gunther):
Love that name
28 Oct 2010, 10:12 am
28. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): The answer is easy:
2 years to create a major hype and have fans shout your high school nickname everytime you touch the ball.
3 years to prove to everyone that you are and were nothing more than a flash in the pan and never will be anything more than a Currie Cup superstar (following the path of Meisiekind’s career)
2 years to get called up to the Bok squad and continually underperform, despite showing great form through the S15, ending in disappointment
thus, 7 years
28 Oct 2010, 10:20 am
That high ball he took against the Bulls at the death showed some huge balls.no pun intended! I’m hoping he has a shocker on Saturday – sorry Pat.
28 Oct 2010, 10:22 am
Frank the wank
personally if he performs at super rugby then good for him.
not everybody has to play for the boks.
he’s not the best thing since sliced bread, but he’s not terrible either.
he seems to bring out the worst in you no?
put your crack pipe down. it’s a beaut of a day in the cape
28 Oct 2010, 10:25 am
I contacted Roy at technical. The reply buttons should be back any time now
28 Oct 2010, 10:28 am
@gunther(gunther) :
Gunt the c…
I stay in Pretoria, and the weathers miserable as ****, traffic even worse
So bare with me
28 Oct 2010, 10:30 am
28 Oct 2010, 10:31 am
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking) : You guys can thank me later
28 Oct 2010, 10:32 am
30. gunther(gunther) : jeepuz why are you mothef*ckers obsessed with race this morning?
28 Oct 2010, 10:33 am
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking) :
now you
want
to
get naked
with
gunther
do you
play
wrong side
of fence
?
28 Oct 2010, 10:35 am
Hurdles is nothing special. Ever noticed the confused look on his face when he has to defend? Geez
28 Oct 2010, 10:36 am
frankly
sorry man. I meant to call you frank the tank but my finger slipped.
I understand all now.
You live in Pretoria and it’s killing you.
By all means take it out on young shadow.
Just don’t kick your dog hey
28 Oct 2010, 10:38 am
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra) : *bear
apologies
28 Oct 2010, 10:38 am
transie…
I thought it was quite a clever little play on words.
sorry if it’s over your head.
even so, that’s quite rich coming from you.
very rich indeed
28 Oct 2010, 10:39 am
Yes Plumtree, he is not quite ready for the farce known as Springbok rugby just yet. One season of Super rugby is really what he needs.
By that time a RWC would be behind us and the coach tarred, feathered and driven out of town, and Lambie’s reputation still intact.
28 Oct 2010, 10:40 am
Please can we not Gaffie him!
28 Oct 2010, 10:41 am
porrathefatperiperichicken
its quite possible.
he is from pretoria
28 Oct 2010, 10:43 am
Isnt Lambo just a tad slow?
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