In contention for 10
5 Jan 2012
JON CARDINELLI, writing in SA Rugby magazine, assesses the candidates who will be vying for the Springbok flyhalf jersey this year.
You’d read about it in a comic book or in a sport-meets-sci-fi short story. The powers that be respond to a World Cup failure by ordering their coaches and sport scientists to build the perfect player. Deep in the catacombs of the Newlands headquarters, the eggheads utilise advanced bio-technology to extract the strengths of each South African flyhalf and assemble a composite capable of spearheading a new breed of Springboks.
This hybrid possesses the boot of Morné Steyn, the vision of Ruan Pienaar, the cool composure of Pat Lambie and the innovation of Elton Jantjies. He has Butch James’s defensive belligerence, as well as Johan Goosen’s rare ability to nail long-range penalties. Rejoice all ye faithful South African supporters, for at long last we have manufactured the perfect 10.
It’s a fantastical scenario, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s going to take a laboratory experiment or even a radioactive spider bite to initiate South Africa’s flyhalf evolution. This country is blessed with an abundance of talent and yet the coaches continue to back limited players in the all-important position, or indeed fail to back those who have the potential to develop into something resembling the complete package.
In early 2008, Peter de Villiers expressed his desire to mould the Boks into a more threatening attacking unit. Ruan Pienaar was hailed as The Chosen One as the Boks embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom, and by the end of that three-match sojourn Pienaar had proved it was possible to strike a balance between running the ball and playing a more conservative, territory-oriented game.
In 2009, however, De Villiers lost faith in Pienaar as well as his own ambitious strive for duality. His selections, once made with the future good of the game in mind, became purely results driven. Pienaar was replaced by Steyn and while the selection brought the Boks short-term success, it proved to be a long-term decision that set South African rugby back four years. Predictably, the Boks stagnated in 2010 and 2011 and their subsequent World Cup quarter-final exit only underlined a pre-existing problem.
Most South African rugby supporters will want to forget about that disastrous campaign. They will want to read about the next Bok coach and the next group of players tasked with taking this nation forward. They have every right to feel enthused given that the well of talent in South Africa runs deep, but it would be foolish to ignore the failures of the past. The next Springbok coach has to take these harsh lessons into consideration when selecting his preferred flyhalf and formulating his game plan ahead of the 2012 season. What De Villiers’s tenure has provided is a blueprint of what not to do when it comes to managing key players and constructing playing patterns designed to win matches between and at big tournaments.
Steyn may have provided the Boks with goal-kicking security and a formidable tactical kicking game, but his weaknesses were mercilessly exposed by some of the better World Cup teams. Wales targeted his channel in South Africa’s opening game, while Samoa and Australia also enjoyed terrific momentum whenever they focused their attack on the limited No 10. With ball-in-hand, he played so deep in the pocket that he allowed opposition defences to negate South Africa’s attacking space. To paraphrase Eddie Jones, you just can’t afford to pick a flyhalf who plays in a dinner suit.
While the past few seasons have highlighted what is wrong with our rugby, they haven’t given us a definitive answer to the flyhalf question. If Steyn is unable to rectify his shortcomings, which after three international seasons looks to be the case, then the next Bok coach has to back someone new whether the goal is short-term success in 2012 or even long-term success in 2015.
Pat Lambie is a prime candidate. He was handed the flyhalf responsibility as a 20-year-old in the 2010 Currie Cup, and proved to be the difference in the final against Western Province. He was given limited opportunities on the Boks’ tour of the home nations, but honed his game in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament, particularly in the departments of tactical kicking and shooting for goal.
Lambie did an admirable job at fullback during the recent World Cup, but has the skill set to excel in a greater game-shaping role. After four seasons, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has now decided that it’s time to move the supremely talented James O’Connor to inside centre or flyhalf. After a two-season apprenticeship, perhaps it’s time that Lambie made a similar shift to the playmaking axis.
That he has the composure to perform in a high-pressure environment is not in question, and his value on defence and attack has been evident in previous Tests against the home nations as well as in this year’s Tri-Nations Test in Wellington. That latter display was especially significant as Lambie showed that he could impose himself on attack despite the lack of momentum up front.
Elton Jantjies’s match-winning efforts in this year’s Currie Cup final capped an incredible comeback for a player who had struggled in the preceding Super Rugby competition. That he had the goal-kicking ability and tactical-kicking prowess to be a success was never in doubt, but what marked his recent rise was a new confidence on attack and a willingness to take on the defence. Next year’s Super Rugby instalment will show just how far he’s come in this respect, and will also serve as an indicator of his defensive progress. If he can build on his Currie Cup form, he should be groomed for the ultimate responsibility at Test level.
There are more established options that the incoming Bok coach may want to consider. Steyn is a safe bet as long as the Boks aren’t playing a team that can outmuscle them in the forwards. If he wants to be viewed as more than goal-kicking insurance or a one-trick pony in general play, he will need to prove that he’s capable of a more balanced game in the coming Super Rugby tournament.
It’s a tough ask given the Bulls are at the beginning of a rebuilding process and the bulk of their forward veterans, namely Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Gary Botha and Gurthrö Steenkamp, have left the franchise. Unlike Lambie, Steyn has shown himself to be particularly susceptible when his pack is under pressure, and it would be a stretch to believe that he can develop while his forwards are losing the battle up front.
De Villiers abandoned the Pienaar experiment in 2009, and his successor is unlikely to reinstate the versatile player given all that has transpired over the past two seasons. Once open to the possibility of playing 10, Pienaar has declared himself a specialist scrumhalf since moving to Irish club Ulster in late 2010. His confidence has also been dented through the mismanagement of previous Bok coaches, and while it will remain one of the great tragedies that he wasn’t given a fair go at flyhalf, it’s a mistake the next coach won’t be able to rectify.
Peter Grant is another who has hurt his chances of a Bok recall by deciding to play at least half of each season abroad. After his first stint with the Kobe Steelers in Japan, he returned to the Stormers undercooked, and struggled to recapture his form as the 2011 Super Rugby competition progressed. While Grant’s general game has regressed since 2010, his line-kicking has been consistently underwhelming.
The Boks need more than a kicking flyhalf to be successful in 2012, but they also need a pivot who can play a territorial game when the situation demands it. Steyn doesn’t meet the requirement of a modern-day 10 because his attacking game and defence are substandard, and Pop-gun Pete is at the other end of the scale of flyhalves who lack a balanced game.
Apart from Lambie and Jantjies, there are several other youngsters who the Bok coach should be monitoring closely over the next year or so. Sias Ebersohn has flourished in the attack-minded Cheetahs set-up, while Lionel Cronjé has shown at times why Rassie Erasmus once touted him as the next Frans Steyn. Johan Goosen, a schoolboy prodigy who became a YouTube sensation thanks to his outrageous long-range penalty attempts, shouldn’t be spoken about in the national context just yet. What is clear at this point is that all three of these players have the raw potential to be something special.
Of the young prospects, Lambie has had the most opportunities with his franchise and the Boks, but needs to be managed carefully if he is going to be a driving force. Sharks incumbent Freddie Michalak enjoyed a good Currie Cup this year, but if the next Bok coach intends to use Lambie at flyhalf, the 21-year-old needs to be starting in that position for his franchise. That Michalak plans to return to France should also influence the Sharks coaches’ decision to start Lambie at No 10 sooner rather than later.
Lions coach John Mitchell publicly criticised Jantjies at the beginning of Super Rugby this year, but recognised the need to back the youngster towards the end of the tournament. Mitchell also stuck with Jantjies throughout the Currie Cup and preferred him ahead of Butch James when the Bok veteran returned from a failed World Cup campaign in late October. Mitchell should continue to play Jantjies in this key position in 2012. Jantjies’s performances in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament suggested he needed another season to develop, and the 2012 edition will show whether he’s made the necessary improvements to be considered a realistic candidate for Bok playmaker.
That the Boks need to start embracing all facets of the game and maximising their attacking potential is not up for debate, but as to who is worthy of that hallowed No 10 jersey will only be decided after several months of Super Rugby action. Providing the candidates receive sufficient opportunities to prove their worth, it promises to be an absorbing contest that will give the Bok coach something that his predecessors may have lacked: a number of balanced options.
– This article appeared in the December issue of SA Rugby magazine. The January-February issue is on sale now.
362 Comments
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6 Jan 2012, 09:38 am
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-194: rubbish
6 Jan 2012, 09:41 am
@Puma-197:
just saw your post as i was about to close my laptop…
thanks bud…
yeah as katman and pissant have said… let’s see how things evolve in the s15… i really don’t mind who get’s picked…
what’s bugging me is that lambie is not enjoying the same advantage as the others because plumtree keeps picking him all over the place… it will be really difficult for him to prove his case if he doesn’t play 10 for the sharks…
should lambie play flyhalf… and the other guys too… so we can judge them apples for apples… i’d be very happy with whichever of the four get selected…
i agree with you about his leadership potential too…
cheers now bud
gotta run
6 Jan 2012, 09:45 am
@ufo-202: Think Plum will select him at fh this year. With Freddie leaving in June doubt he will be our number one fh at the Sharks. Well hope not. Think it will be Lambie.
Agree now is too early to tell who will be fh. Have to wait until mid S15 to be sure.
Cheers ufo.
6 Jan 2012, 09:56 am
@Transformation-201:
fair enough.
i was under the impression he had but it could be a made up story.
6 Jan 2012, 10:02 am
@Puma-203:
Howzit boet,all the best for 2012.
6 Jan 2012, 10:08 am
SA
9. Hougaard
10. Lambie
12. F Steyn
AUS
9. Genia
10. Cooper
12. O connor
Now those would be exciting combos to watch
6 Jan 2012, 10:20 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19-205: Howzit Fern. How you doing bud?
All the best to you too for 2012.
Also all the best to our Sharks as well for 2012…
6 Jan 2012, 10:22 am
@Bok fan-206: Yeah those combos would be very exciting.
Though in the wc thought Cooper was not great at all.
6 Jan 2012, 10:38 am
rugby is a weird game, every year someone is calling for the IRB to sort out an aspect of the game – breakdown, scrums. they will be tinkering with the laws of this game ’til kingdom come.
IRB must sort scrum
Friday, 30 December 2011 9:11 a.m.
At a time of year when it is customary to make resolutions for the 12 months ahead one can only hope that those in charge of rugby are tasking themselves with sorting out the shambles that the scrum has become.
The set-piece has given the game some of its most iconic figures, from the revered Pontypool front row of Charlie Faulkner, Bobby Windsor and Graham Price, Ireland stalwart Ray McLoughlin and Scotland hero Sandy Carmichel right through to modern day prop idols such as Adam Jones and Tony Woodcock.
But the worth of Jones and company is being increasingly eroded by the frustrating trend for scrum engagements to follow a pattern of ‘crouch, touch, pause…collapse’.
A staggering 54 percent of scrums during the 2011 Six Nations ended in a crumpled mass of bodies on the deck.
It is not as though this is a new phenomenon.
Over the past three seasons the amount of time spent setting and re-setting scrums has often eaten up as much as 10-15 minutes of game time, but the recent Ospreys v Saracens Heineken Cup contest at the Liberty Stadium offered a stark illustration of just how bad things have become.
What should have been a gripping European contest instead turned in to a mind-numbing sequence of collapsed scrums, with referee Jerome Garces appearing to have little understanding of what was unfolding in front of him, leading him to award penalties on a ***-for-tat basis, much to the bemusement of the six international front-rowers in the starting line-ups.
Eleven of the first 12 scrums resulted in penalties or free-kicks, 14 of the game’s 26 penalties originated at the scrum and it left the respective coaches questioning the very future of the forward contest.
Ospreys coach Sean Holley said: “I don’t where we are going with the scrum. Nobody knows what is going on there and it’s frustrating for players and fans and I don’t know what else to say. Are we better off not having scrums?”
The scrum should represent a great attacking situation given that the defensive side are now stationed five metres behind the back foot in order to allow more space for the side in possession, but the current impasse has led some sides to all but do away with preparing set moves, because they simply do not expect the scrum to be completed cleanly.
“In the old days you used to practice scrum moves but coaches have stopped doing that as there is a free-kick or penalty at every scrum so there is no need for those moves,” said Sarries boss Mark McCall.
Sadly there is no easy solution to the problem, mainly because only members of the front-row union have a genuine knowledge of what goes on in the darkest of rugby arts.
There is a school of thought that the engagement sequence is too drawn out, all also varies in pace from official to official, leading to any number of early engagements and collapses as sides look to win the all-important hit.
Some feel the skin-tight shirts worn by players make it almost impossible for props to bind on their opposite number, or that the sheer physical build of the modern player means scrums are naturally more unstable.
Whether it is any one of these reasons, or a combination of factors, it is an issue that the International Rugby Board must look to address sooner rather than later.
It will do the game’s image the power of good among supporters – it is hard to imagine many of those at the Liberty Stadium two weeks ago clamouring to watch a repeat.
Rugby needs the sight of strong scrummaging contests, where the dominant pack is rewarded, to become the norm rather than the exception.
Otherwise the skill and technique of the likes of Jones and Woodcock will be lost to a generation of rugby fans.
6 Jan 2012, 10:42 am
the fact that so many spots up for grabs and a new coach will make super 15 very interesting indeed.
6 Jan 2012, 11:16 am
There’s nothing worse than moobs on a man …… Kallis.
6 Jan 2012, 11:24 am
@grant10-210: that one wicket from tahir in the 1st innings was superb, he needs to be more consitent.
6 Jan 2012, 11:26 am
@Puma-208: Ja wasnt his usual self, WC can get to a lot of players. I was impressed with his BMT in the Super 15 final and Tri nations decider though
6 Jan 2012, 11:35 am
@Bok fan-213: he had a shocking RWC, ireland made him look ordinary. with a dominant pack he looks flash but when his forwards were taking strain he didn’t switch the gameplan, he continued to want to run and messed up as a result.
6 Jan 2012, 11:39 am
@Transformation-212: yes….I think we have a gem in Tahir…..he will only get better imo
6 Jan 2012, 11:40 am
we need to break this bloody partnership!
6 Jan 2012, 11:41 am
Cooper and Jantjies in the same mould. On their day they can be brilliant, but on their off day they are terrible.
Lambie and Carter is the steady players that almost never have a bad game, but not as exciting.
6 Jan 2012, 11:45 am
@Mr Black-217: there’s no justification for the carter/lambie comparisons…lambie is nowhere near carter’s talent.
that’s not to say he doesn’t possess any talent but he is no daniel carter. he had games in the s15 where he was nowhere but because he is not expected to be flash he slips past the criticism.
6 Jan 2012, 11:48 am
@Transformation-218:
Rubbish
6 Jan 2012, 11:57 am
Was Tahir auditioning for next Tarzan movie after one wicket yesterday
Chest-thumping eedjit
Or was he a soccer player in a previous life.
6 Jan 2012, 12:01 pm
@Transformation-218:
thats nonsense.
6 Jan 2012, 12:02 pm
@Dawn-220:
He is trying to hard imo to fit in with the SA players.
6 Jan 2012, 12:04 pm
Have not seen such celebration and running to boundary after one wicket yet in all cricket I have watched.
**** style.
6 Jan 2012, 12:04 pm
@Mr Black-219: pinpoint one game where lambie was outstanding, running plays, attacking the gain line, offloading, kicking for touch superbly, basically where he even tried to match the currie cup final performance.
i understand the guppys game is based on dom crashball all day tactics which sort of limit lambie’s time on the ball but hey he is NOT carter-esque.
6 Jan 2012, 12:08 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-221: um, great argument
6 Jan 2012, 12:08 pm
@Transformation-224:
Take off your transformation eye patches and watch him play. Carter was no better than what he (Lambie) is at same stage of their careers.
6 Jan 2012, 12:10 pm
@Dawn-223: check boom boom afridi’s theatrics and understand where it comes from.
6 Jan 2012, 12:11 pm
@Mr Black-226: please, carter was sublime. you’re not going very far in justifying your comparison though, i like that
6 Jan 2012, 12:14 pm
@Transformation-228:
Sublime my as_s.
You’re confused Transie.
6 Jan 2012, 12:15 pm
Just joking Transie.
He is not Carter yet.
Cheers, outahere.
6 Jan 2012, 12:16 pm
This is brilliant previously we were told on here that Steyn was as good if not better than Carter, we all know how that one worked out, now Lambie is right up there after 2.5 tests and lets not forget all the SA fans telling us Cooper was also better than Carter. When Lambie plays a game like the 2nd Lions test in 05′ ( the perfect game by a 10) then we can start making some comparisions.
6 Jan 2012, 12:17 pm
P a k i !!!!!
6 Jan 2012, 12:19 pm
@Transformation-225:
he’s barely had two season of rugby yet, in a single position and / or injury free.
carter had one or two kak seasons with the crusaders too in the beginning.
they did not win anything and he did certainly not look flash mr cash.
did you call him out as the most complete thing back then?
well, nobody did.
@Mr Black-226:
my point exactly.
he may in fact with time prove to be nowhere as good as carter but its still presumptuous to say he wont until he has the chance to try.
6 Jan 2012, 12:23 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-233:
was it one or two seasons, which year? Carters name was doing the rounds a long long time before he made the Crusaders
6 Jan 2012, 12:29 pm
@Mr Black-229: don’t worry about me, focus on shoring up your comparison tl tl tl
6 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm
@NZINCHINA-234:
he barely at flyhalf for those two seasons.
the crusaders won nothing in 2003, 2004
6 Jan 2012, 12:32 pm
@Transformation-227:
no comparison – afridi is a narcissistic poser.
too cool to dash around with juvenile enthusiasm
6 Jan 2012, 12:32 pm
played at flyhalf
6 Jan 2012, 12:34 pm
@Dawn-211: I reckon a p.enis on a woman is marginally worse. But it’s subjective, I guess.
6 Jan 2012, 12:34 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-233: are you also comparing lambie to carter? because i can tell you right now james o’connor made far more an impact in the game than lambie or jantjies have and he was also moved from pillar to post.
it is premature to liken lambie to carter the way mr black did.
6 Jan 2012, 12:34 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-236:
Merhts was there from memory, they made the final in 03′ and were just beaten at the garden of Eden by an Auckland side with Sir Graham as the “technical director” for a moment I thought you mean’t they picked up the wooden spoon.
6 Jan 2012, 12:36 pm
It is difficult to guess who will play in what position, as we don’t even know who the coach is yet. If it is Heineke it will be Steyn, if Smal it could be Jantjes or Goosen and if it is Coetzee it could even be Grant or Catrikilis. Only once we know who the prophet of doom is, will we get a clearer picture of his team.
6 Jan 2012, 12:38 pm
Crikey they made the final in 04′ to what you on about son?
6 Jan 2012, 12:47 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-236: canterbury won the NPC in 2004, get your facts straight.
i didn’t compare lambie to carter, mr black did! my contention is that lambie hasn’t played enough rugby to be likened to carter in any way! people are quick to say “he is as steady as carter” yet in the same breath want to say “carter was erratic in ’03 & ’04″
6 Jan 2012, 12:50 pm
@Transformation-240:
no transie, you’re the one who said lambie is not comparable to carter at a similar point in his career and thats nonsense.
carter was a centre and sometimes a flyhalf and was not god’s gift to rugby for the most part initially, thats all i’m trying to say.
lambie has only had two seasons with injury and positional switches to boot and as well as being younger than carter was. he may or may not prove to be a good player but you’re still being presumtuous.
@NZINCHINA-241:
again, you’re so one-eyed you’ve missed the point.
this is not about carter.
this is not about the crusaders.
this is about lambie and whether he can be compared to carter after a similar period of time, namely: two years. carter really started coming into ‘completeness’ perhaps from 205 onwards, with a few blips here and there.
my point is about lambie and whether he can written off as not being comparable to carter at the start of his career.
if you keep this up i will award YOU wooden spoon
6 Jan 2012, 12:52 pm
Carter has played two or three off test matches in is whole career, Lambie is a talent but won’t emulate DC he’s got far too many runs on the board.
6 Jan 2012, 12:52 pm
@NZINCHINA-243:
please refer post #245
get your hat out your asse, sir
6 Jan 2012, 12:53 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-245:
cmon buddy you through out the speculator and were proved wrong DC has never had an off season
6 Jan 2012, 12:55 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…-245: you see now, you are talking rubbish…this was my reply to mr black, please point out where i said such!
218.Transformation said:
6 Jan 2012, 11:45 am
@Mr Black-217: there’s no justification for the carter/lambie comparisons…lambie is nowhere near carter’s talent.
that’s not to say he doesn’t possess any talent but he is no daniel carter. he had games in the s15 where he was nowhere but because he is not expected to be flash he slips past the criticism.
6 Jan 2012, 12:57 pm
i’m pretty sure people said carter was steady, at the least, in 2003 and 2004.
still they won nothing at the crusaders and he was not being called ‘greatest most complete’ yet. that came later.
lambie at the least is steady, at this point in his career.
i am not saying he will go on to become ‘greatest most complete’ as a matter of course.
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