Lambie boots Sharks into final

Lambie boots Sharks into final

20 Oct 2012

JON CARDINELLI writes that Pat Lambie’s cool game management was decisive in the Sharks’ emphatic 20-3 win over the Blue Bulls in Durban.

If Saturday’s semi-final at Kings Park was a movie, Lambie was the show-stealing leading man.

This blockbuster boasted a strong supporting cast, with Marcel Coetzee and Keegan Daniel producing influential performances at the collisions, and Jannie du Plessis perpetuating the physical dominance with a powerful scrumming display.

But above and beyond all of that was Lambie’s decision making and execution. This allowed the Sharks to take advantage and eventually finish the game as deserved victors.

The wet conditions prescribed a conservative approach, and it was the Sharks who adapted best. The hosts enjoyed a wealth of possession and territory in the first stanza, and much of these advantages were earned through a superior kicking game.

Lambie, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and fullback Louis Ludik shared the tactical kicking duties, keeping the Bulls pinned in their own territory with a series of probes and high-hanging up-and-unders. While the Bulls employed similar tactics, it was the Sharks, and especially Lambie, who were more accurate in the implementation of this strategy.

The Bulls were often beaten in the air when the ball went high, such was the precision of the Sharks’ kick as well as the timing of the chase. When they attempted to reply in kind, they were guilty of booting the ball too deep. It was because of these errors that they were unable to put the Sharks under the necessary pressure.

Morné Steyn has struggled with his kicking all season, and had another awful outing in Saturday’s semi-final. The out-of-sorts Bok flyhalf made mistakes from the kickoff that resulted in turnovers. There were several instances where he was charged down and where he kicked the ball out on the full.

But the blame for this defeat cannot be laid solely at Steyn’s door. The forwards were outplayed physically and technically, and the patent lack of discipline and composure of the Bulls’ collective cost them at key moments.

In the first half, Lambie had done well to switch between kicking and running. As the Sharks launched an attacking move on the Bulls’ 22m line, Lambie made the decision to chip and chase. It looked to be an excellent option with nobody sweeping at the back, but as Lambie raced to collect his own kick he was felled by Bulls prop Morné Mellet. Referee Mark Lawrence didn’t hesitate in sending Mellet to the sin-bin for tripping, and the Sharks proceeded to score six more points in Mellet’s absence.

The Bulls finished the first half with zero points and virtually no territory, and found themselves chasing the game in the second period. They enjoyed a brief period on the front-foot but were repeatedly undone by their own errors and indiscipline. To be fair, the Sharks did respond to this onslaught with a determined defensive display.

The hosts’ lineout wobbled and their scrum looked less secure when Du Plessis left the field before half-time, but they will be happy with the way they performed at the collisions, and the manner in which their flyhalf dictated play in the battle for territory.

They will enjoy home ground advantage in next week’s final, but these are the attributes that will make them favourites to win the Currie Cup trophy. They played to the conditions and kept their composure in the semi-final, and they have the right balance between individual brilliance and collective clout to ensure that they will go all the way.

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351 Comments

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  • 1.phil72: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:22 pm

    Will have a few sad Shark Dragons today…..

  • 2.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:22 pm

    right on time with the thread dragons.

    die blou bul eet nie vis van die vloer af nie.

    go bulle!

  • 3.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:22 pm

    As nice as a potential Newlands final would be…

    Go Sharks!

    Supporting the Bulls is unfortunately just one step too far for me…

  • 4.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:23 pm

    @phil72-1:
    trigger fingers

  • 5.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:23 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-2: Well no Bulls are ruminants so they don’t eat any forms of meat…

    You’d think you would know this by now…

  • 6.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:25 pm

    @Bagel-5:
    :lol:

    they will tonight.. shark soup, there’s always a first

  • 7.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:27 pm

    Bulls to edge this by less than 7.

    25-20 is my prediction.

  • 8.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:30 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-2:
    gaan jy forkoff as julle verloor?

  • 9.phil72: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:31 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-4:

    Beter as n nat sharkie nappie…..

  • 10.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:32 pm

    why do the bulls always embroid their jerseys if it is a knock-out game?
    pathetic

  • 11.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:33 pm

    brainfart daniel

  • 12.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:37 pm

    @Fern-8:
    nee, ek sal hier wees om groot bek sharkie kak te vat soos n man as die bulle verloor, fern.
    ek is nik bang vir n BOOM! nie :lol:

    @phil72-9:
    :grin:

  • 13.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:38 pm

    lambie kicks missed = 1
    morne = 0

  • 14.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:41 pm

    “Straight down” says Lawrence. What is he smoking?

  • 15.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:42 pm

    general play no tackle?
    what a load of kak

  • 16.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:43 pm

    referee suspect

  • 17.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:43 pm

    tight game
    naais

  • 18.phil72: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:43 pm

    This Arno boy is something special!

  • 19.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:43 pm

    Mark Lawrence looking a little iffy at this stage.

  • 20.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:44 pm

    mvovo is nie n springbok nie

  • 21.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:44 pm

    Jean Deysel still seems punch drunk since the Canadian gave him a boxing lesson.

  • 22.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:45 pm

    I know kings are kak etc… But there will be more supporters at next weekends game than there are in the sharks tank 2day. Weather no excuse, are there even 10k? Thats why kings deserves super rugby = full stadium… Last year in shark tank semi there werent much more than 2day

  • 23.phil72: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:46 pm

    @phil72-18:

    But.. not as special as bambie!

  • 24.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:46 pm

    Lots of aimless kicking. Sharks scrum disintegrating.

  • 25.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:46 pm

    lambie’s tactical kicking fokops = 1
    morne = 0

  • 26.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:46 pm

    @Robzim-21: :)

    Like one of those heavyweights who carries on swinging while he’s being counted out.

  • 27.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:47 pm

    @mikeybrass-24:
    sharks losing the tight stuff

    kicking a lot too

  • 28.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:47 pm

    Passing is slow.

  • 29.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:48 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-27: Sloppy stuff. Taking a lessen from the Kiwi-Wally game.

  • 30.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:50 pm

    bullshitt scrum penalty
    sharks at fault not bulls

  • 31.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:52 pm

    what about the farknig obstruction you doos!

  • 32.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:52 pm

    tail gunning! tail gunning?

    you’re a farking tail gunning doos ref!

  • 33.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:54 pm

    The silence of the Lambie
    Naais!

  • 34.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:55 pm

    fark me

    he jsut changed the laws of the game

  • 35.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:55 pm

    Banggat keegan

  • 36.phil72: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:56 pm

    That is a bit technical though?

  • 37.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:56 pm

    not many sharkievarkie supporters at the tank today.Not even Sharksgirl will be able to convince the rest this time that that stadium is full. :D

  • 38.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:56 pm

    i cant beleive he told the ar not to be overly technical

    just like that

    he makes up his own rule for the sharks

  • 39.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:57 pm

    justice

  • 40.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:57 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-34: Careful Bakkies. Don’t want to eye gourge the ref :-) :-)

  • 41.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:58 pm

    3rd mistake by m steyn….kak op sy beste

  • 42.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 16:58 pm

    naais chassisbender come scrumtime for the sharks:-)

  • 43.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:03 pm

    @phil72-18: Phil, I have to agree with you x1000000000. And to think Spies will keep him on the bench next year for the Bulls……it’s enough to make one vomit and vomit and vomit and vomit and vomit.

    In the absence of CJ Stander: Arno Botha is our Bok captain in waiting (IMHO), but he’s going to be blocked if that plastic poser Spies sticks around too long – and I don’t care what franchise people support, only the blind will not see his influence and potential.

    @wnbb-37: Very disappointing turnout. Even the fiercest Sharks fan HAS to question this. And NO, the weather is not a valid excuse.
    Actually sad for a Currie Cup semi final – then again it could be rugby overload? Or the Currie Cup really doesn’t mean as much as what it did……

  • 44.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:03 pm

    Should be red and penalty try

  • 45.mxhosa: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm

    This Morne Mellett is kak

  • 46.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm

    How thick is that Bulls mullet?

  • 47.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm

    lambie milking

  • 48.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm

    Sin bin well deserved. Nice chip Lambie.

  • 49.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm

    @suffer_guy-44: You still learning this game?

  • 50.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:05 pm

    Captain Keegan!
    Saluut Ma se kend!
    Respect.

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