True test looms for Lambie
16 Oct 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes that Pat Lambie may have to steer the Sharks to Currie Cup glory if he’s going to convince Heyneke Meyer of his value as a match-winning flyhalf.
Did Lambie’s performance against Griquas mean anything? Of course it did. It was massive in the context of the Sharks’ season, as it helped the Durbanites bank a potential home final.
It was important in that it allowed Lambie a rare start, and even more significantly a rare start in his best position of flyhalf. But was it meaningful in the context of Lambie’s bid for the Bok flyhalf jersey? I don’t think so.
Lambie enjoyed a great return to the starting line-up last Friday. He was accurate in front of goal, he gave the Sharks direction both as a distributor and tactical kicker. He was solid on defence and innovative on attack. It was a complete performance, and it would have given him plenty of confidence.
But the pressure will mount this week ahead of a semi-final showdown against the Bulls. For all the bluster about Griquas being giant killers, they are never a threat at the back end of the season. They struggle because of injuries and battle to compete against the big five teams who are boosted by the returning Boks.
Griquas are never going to win the Currie Cup with their current game plan. There is too much emphasis on attack, and not enough on defence. This weakness was exploited all too easily by the Sharks last Friday. And yet, John Plumtree’s men would do well to remember that the defence of the better teams in the play-offs will be tougher to breach.
There will be more pressure on Lambie this Saturday. There will be more pressure from a defensive point of view. There will be more pressure on him to win the territorial battle, and there will also be more pressure on him to maintain his excellent goal-kicking form.
It has to be viewed as a great opportunity. If Lambie can excel under such pressure and steer the Sharks to victory, it would serve as a big statement. If he can go one step further and guide the Sharks to another Currie Cup title, well then it would be difficult for Heyneke Meyer to deny that he is the best flyhalf candidate for that November tour to Europe.
We have been in this situation before. Lambie helped the Sharks win the 2010 Currie Cup final, and one of the most enduring moments of that match was of the young flyhalf handing off WP captain Schalk Burger en route to the tryline. Unfortunately, he was used only as a substitute on the subsequent Bok tour. He did well when he started for the Boks at 10 against the All Blacks in 2011, but wasn’t used there again.
Meyer is still undecided about Lambie, and it isn’t hard to understand why. While it’s clear the kid has all the skills, he hasn’t really settled into one position.
Injury has also played a part in this unfortunate situation if you remember that Lambie was crocked in the 2012 Super Rugby competition just when he was starting to fire as a flyhalf. When he returned to fitness, the Sharks had settled on Freddie Michalak as their pivot and so Lambie filled in at fullback for the remainder of the season.
If the Sharks win this weekend and progress to the final, it will mean that Lambie will have three Currie Cup games in total to show Meyer what he can offer as a flyhalf. As I mentioned earlier, the fixture against Griquas was important for other reasons. The two play-off games will be massive in terms of pressure, with each of the four teams leaning on their Boks. If Lambie thrives in that environment, then it will say much for his mental aptitude as well as his physical ability.
Meyer will, of course, be watching the progress of other potential flyhalves closely.
Morné Steyn was better against the Lions last Saturday, but will also need to show that he can perform in the matches that matter. Just as a title win for the Sharks will underline Lambie’s value, another domestic trophy for the Bulls will show that Steyn is not a spent force as a match-winner.
With Johan Goosen ruled out with injury, Elton Jantjies played much of that Test against the All Blacks at Soccer City. The Lions lost to the Bulls last week, but they will be hoping that the reinstatement of Jantjies at 10 gets them back to winning ways. Again, it’s a high pressure environment that could reveal whether Jantjies is in the right headspace to spearhead the Boks’ coming overseas campaign.
I still believe that in the absence of Goosen, Lambie is the only flyhalf in South Africa who has the necessary all-round skills needed to bring the Boks success in a more balanced game plan. But Lambie has to use this semi-final opportunity, and possibly an opportunity in the final as well, to make a believer out of Meyer.
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482 Comments
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16 Oct 2012, 11:43 am
@John Galt-184: you seem to be a reasonable guppy unlike the fat one and others so tell me if the logic of the “other” not so clued up guppies makes any sense.
A) Lambie who starred in the 40-7 demolition to the ABs can be excused because he was surrounded by kak players – FatGuppy argument
B) Lambie is the better pick for the Boks because of his performances in a guppy team where he is flanked by Boks everywhere – Malguppy earlier
C) Elton’s performance in a weak Lions team with no Boks often against teams laden with Boks excludes him from Bok selection – again that FatGuppy
D) Lambie is being overlooked by Heineken because he is a soutie – an assortment of nutty guppies
These guppies are such easy targets for me, you must be ashamed by some of them – yes?
16 Oct 2012, 11:43 am
@Karma-zaf-198: Hiyas Karma?? Are you the same Karma that used to blog on the old Sharks website blog many years ago?
16 Oct 2012, 11:44 am
@sharks_lover-199:
Agree with you 100% loverboy… Michelak no longer there to protect him at the varkies…. Japan the place to go?
16 Oct 2012, 11:44 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-196: Let sleeping dogshit dry.
16 Oct 2012, 11:45 am
@John Galt-184:
that little ‘better general in the bok setup than morne steyn’ is gonna touch the void and look deep inside his soul come saturday.
like a dandy little zoolande,r let him prance around the catwalks of the sharkies minds…. but… at the end, when beaten comprehensively by the kakest flyhalf in the country, he will ask himself..”am i worth it?”
his fanboys will fall over themselves with lovestruck platitudes of ‘better luck next time’.. ‘win some lose some’.. ‘the bounce wasn’t kind’.. ‘you’ll always be a champ, tiger’… ad nauseam…
meanwhile, in a little corner of pretoria… a coach will smile…
16 Oct 2012, 11:48 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-205: And how is it any different you your worship of BUlls players?? POT KETTLE
that says it all
16 Oct 2012, 11:48 am
@wnbb-200: And now entering stage left (page 5) I see we have Morne’s mother; aka Bakkies. One can just sit back and enjoy the show.
16 Oct 2012, 11:50 am
@RL-201: I actually spat out my coffee reading this
16 Oct 2012, 11:51 am
Looking at Plums selection blobses over the past, quite amazed he has not tried Bambie at 9………..
16 Oct 2012, 11:54 am
@katman-204:
the wind seems to have died down so runtcunt will be up his ladder trying to fix the hole in his roof so the sky doesn’t fall on his head.
16 Oct 2012, 11:54 am
@Karma-zaf-198: is this what you’d like to see or what you suspect will happen?
16 Oct 2012, 11:55 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-207: LMFAO! Okai this has really made my day!!!
16 Oct 2012, 11:56 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-208:
makes a change hey my babes.
16 Oct 2012, 11:56 am
@RL-201:
come now RL… reason and guppies is like oil and water… you know better…
@sharks_lover-206:
jou ketel kook
16 Oct 2012, 11:58 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-207:
not the only show going.
wp got a little date with destiny too my dear
16 Oct 2012, 12:01 pm
@phil72-209: Trust me so are we!
16 Oct 2012, 12:02 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-205:
Yeah but that right there is where you go wrong.
Dont you think we should be looking further, more long term.
I am. Both for the Boks and the Sharks.
Will the Sharks win this weekend? Who knows.
What I do know is that Goosen, Jaintjies and Lambie display all the skills and temperament that we as Bok supporters have been craving for so long.
You can wax lyrical about him and the Bulls coach all you like, MS at 10 for the Boks is a step back. That is about it.
16 Oct 2012, 12:02 pm
Current available flyhalf pecking order IMO:
Jantjies
Lambie
MS
Either of these can do a solid job for us with MS as a last resort, he needs to time off as he’s been playing rugby non-stop!
He shouldn’t be thrown away, just that he shouldn’t be starting based on the performances he’s given us, especially this year.
16 Oct 2012, 12:06 pm
@Sharksgirl-212: Today, one doesn’t have to comment at all. Kick back and enjoy the show as the hysteria starts building.
@gunther-213: Tardylittlefucker you are
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-215: No Bakkies, we know how this story ends, so no angst at all. The build up to the Bulls/Sharks game however, is going to be one for the comedy purists.
16 Oct 2012, 12:07 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-214:
16 Oct 2012, 12:10 pm
@gunther-210: You should have heard him go off at the guy from Sanlam when he tried to add falling sky to his household cover and they wouldn’t let him. Makes his nocturnal rage here read like the original Chicken Little text.
16 Oct 2012, 12:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-219:
I know what you mean.
None of my sharkie pals will look me in the eye.
16 Oct 2012, 12:15 pm
Molweni madoda, imnandi lenthetho yenu!
16 Oct 2012, 12:16 pm
@RL-201:
16 Oct 2012, 12:17 pm
@katman-221:
******* anti-semites.
16 Oct 2012, 12:20 pm
@mpundulu-223: hayi hamba apha asithethi ngaDan Kara okanye uAaron Qhudeni!
16 Oct 2012, 12:22 pm
Provincialism as rife as it was before we were allowed to play with the other kids.
I don’t get it.*
*That’s why I’m back posting on a goddamn tabloid rugby blog. Must get it.
16 Oct 2012, 12:26 pm
yoh…jub jub found guilty…
16 Oct 2012, 12:28 pm
@papaown-218: EOYT. Abrakadabra. HM, tired of this prodding and coaxing from the nation’s supporters, chooses Meyer Bosman at 10, coaching him back to Honnibalesque form. The nation unite.
16 Oct 2012, 12:29 pm
Lambie vs Steyn
A battle for the soul of SA Rugby
Do we evolve or do we sit deep in the pocket and kick the ball into row Z
16 Oct 2012, 12:30 pm
@Transformation-228: Why yoh? This is the least surprising judgement I’ve seen in a long time. The evidence just mounted up while he and his buddy remained defiant. Hope they sit for a long time.
16 Oct 2012, 12:32 pm
hello Katman.
16 Oct 2012, 12:36 pm
@The very reverend J. Jones-232: Good afternoon, Right Reverend. Your sabbatical was long.
16 Oct 2012, 12:39 pm
@katman-231: i feel sorry for him, he’s going to be busting verses for the 28s @ “sun city”
16 Oct 2012, 12:41 pm
@Transformation-228:
medical parole is his only hope.
otherwise he’s going to be kneeling for ufrontendloader.
16 Oct 2012, 12:42 pm
@Transformation-234: Yes he is, but I don’t feel sorry for him at all. This little fcker has not owned up to killing 4 teenagers, and has shown no real remorse towards their families. He deserves every day he gets in jail.
16 Oct 2012, 12:43 pm
@gunther-235: No ways will he be plonked in general population. He will be sheltered from the storm.
16 Oct 2012, 12:45 pm
@katman-233:
Yes, it was long. Is Bod still about?
How’s family life? Should I get one?
16 Oct 2012, 12:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-237: Sidebar: ‘The Storm’; being a 400 pound gentleman, with love on his mind.
16 Oct 2012, 12:47 pm
@Rockn Rolla-230: In that regard everyone should be a Lambie supporter this weekend!
16 Oct 2012, 12:47 pm
@John Galt-217:
long term i agree, any of goosen, pollard, jantjes and fouche could and should play a role at 10. and form permitting, morne should guide them through.
for lambie its difficult to say because quite clearly the coach does not want him as a fh. i can only say that as tough as this may be for him, he is not the first and will not be the last of many ‘best players never to have made the squadd types.
16 Oct 2012, 12:47 pm
@<a href="#comm
Computer says no.
he must sit with the rapists and other killlers, where he will make a very nice wife for one of Capo's relatives.
When he gets out his tradesman's entrance is going to resemble the Hugenot Tunnel.
16 Oct 2012, 12:49 pm
@papaown-218: For me Lambie, Jantjies, MS but if HM prefers Jantjies I wouldn’t be in tears, the kid is quality.
16 Oct 2012, 12:49 pm
@Transformation-228: John Mongrel is going to make him hisbiatch!
Best thing he can do know is buy tubs of KY gel and lots of condoms.
16 Oct 2012, 12:50 pm
@The very reverend J. Jones-238: Should you get a life or should you get a family? Probably yes, on both counts.
Sadly, Bod has disappeared again. He’s either re-entered the citrus collection industry abroad, or he’s joined a monastery. Give him 6 months and he’ll be back.
My family is good, thanks. Tiring (my two year old girl will break even the most interrogation-proof prisoners) but good.
16 Oct 2012, 12:52 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-219:
well then… enjoy the show…
@Sharksgirl-220:
i know, i know .. truth is a maddening thing
16 Oct 2012, 12:52 pm
@katman-221:
@gunther-225:
16 Oct 2012, 12:53 pm
@katman-236: i heard last week he was planning to release a track with lundi tyamarha* about “forgiveness”
* another drug-addicted gospel-singing child star…
16 Oct 2012, 12:58 pm
Sharks looking short on depth at prop for next year’s S15.
Chadwick, Herbst and Redelinghuys all still learning.
But, aside from the front row, the squad looks very impressive.
Cobus Reinach is a real find.
16 Oct 2012, 12:58 pm
hehe
i guess jub jub will be singing for his supper
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