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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  • 101.Fern: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm

    chad le clos watching the game with the sharks.
    we sure do look after our own.

  • 102.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm

    King beastttttttttttttttttt and domkrag albertsssssssssssssssss

  • 103.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm

    @katman-95:

    Hy beter dit gou doen voor Lawrence verder skade aandoen.

  • 104.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm

    @Robzim-92:

    Jeandre K been moaning the whole afternoon!

    I thought he was the captain

    Bulls got no more leaders! BIG PROBLEM!

  • 105.Porra: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:41 pm

    bryce or
    mark
    a lawrence
    has no
    option
    they were
    born
    to be
    cheats

  • 106.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm

    illegal maul defense

    higfh tackle on potgieter

    nothing

  • 107.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm

    Deysel…most overated domkrag donkey!

    Dont even think about passing!

    Would fit perfectly within Bulls setup!

  • 108.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm

    @Robzim-103: Dis hoekom Lawrence dit nou so baie doen. Hy weet hy gaan geklits word, en dan moet daar ‘n kussing wees.

  • 109.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:43 pm

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-100:

    Jip, same here….. I cannot support either of these teams, its just not possible.
    Sharks look better but Mark is helping them a bit today.

  • 110.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:43 pm

    nothing by the ref

    nothing

  • 111.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:44 pm

    Bulls passing is pathetic.

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

    Lol bjorn basson is net so kak… And every one skipping zane…

  • 113.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:44 pm

    Poor passing from Slothy Stain…

  • 114.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    @katman-108:

    hehe, ek dink sy werk is afgehandel……bulls gaan baie moeilik terugkom in die game.

  • 115.XV: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    all brawn and no brain whatsoever…….

  • 116.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    All I hear is Mark’s mouth

  • 117.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    how was that a straight throw into the lineout?

    how

  • 118.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    Jeandre Kruger in the middle of it!

    Send him off!

  • 119.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm

    Very impressed with Reinach. He’s been great the whole competition, and today he must be a candidate for MOM.

  • 120.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm

    Juansre kruger jou vuilgat danville d00s….

  • 121.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm

    fokjou jou doos

    if you did your job properly the players would not resort to this

    fok jou!

  • 122.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm

    Stuur hom marikana toe…

  • 123.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:46 pm

    Suffer

    Go take your suffering elsewhere

  • 124.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:47 pm

    Bulle word i les geleer, nou wil hulle baklei….

  • 125.katman: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:47 pm

    Ha ha, that little fight was a perfect example of how to be very angry and swing away, but deliberately not land a real punch.

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

    sharky swung first

    lets see what lawrence does

  • 127.RL: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:48 pm

    Nothing to report – you can do a replay of any collision and see the same thing.

    Pffffft!

  • 128.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm

    The Beast and Chilibooi were not in a hurry to join the melee

  • 129.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm

    tmo told the ref to talk to both the blue and the black player

    only the blue gets a talking

    nothing for black

    huh :shock:

  • 130.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm

    @Robzim-109: You win. Kruger losing it big time :) Although this Bresler tonsil too, has a face that screeches, “HitmeashardasyoufuckingcanforIamatotaldoos”.

    Guppies sadly, do incite others to the point of ‘taking the law into ones own hands’ :)

    @suffer_guy-122: Is there anyone you DO like? Wifey, kids, pet terrier, goldfish?

  • 131.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-117: I have seen a few non-straight throws from the Bulls.

    @RL-127: Right call by Lawrence.

  • 132.RL: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:50 pm

    Keegan Daniel is a duplictious fu ck er calling for the yellow – I got my eye on you guppy and you better be clean or else.

  • 133.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:51 pm

    Cullen is playing good rugga

  • 134.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:51 pm

    @katman-125: Jebb is the master…..all these other fellows are posers.

  • 135.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:52 pm

    :lol:

  • 136.mxhosa: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:53 pm

    These ******* love the Sharks, must be the black jerseys…

  • 137.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:53 pm

    Why didnt Andy “Postman” Capost???? get the Semi Final gig?

    Dis darem die Shark tank!

  • 138.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:54 pm

    Horua where have you been

  • 139.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:54 pm

    i am shocked the ref has done that

  • 140.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:54 pm

    Morne’s first kick…

  • 141.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139: Done what?

  • 142.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm

    @Mighty Horua-137: Nodearfuckno. Listening to him creaming, screaming and throwing his XXXXXL Y-fronts at Lambie for 80 minutes is more than ANY decent person should have to put up with.
    (Brosnihan – woo-hoooooooooooooooooooo, is bad enough…..)

  • 143.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm

    trying to fake respectibility this late in the game.

  • 144.mxhosa: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:56 pm

    Oh snap am allowed to say d a r k i e s

  • 145.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:56 pm

    @Bagel-141:
    given the bulls a penalty in a kickable position in the sharks 22 :shock:

  • 146.Atreides: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:58 pm

    Lambie showing up the limited Steyn big time!

    And greyling as k ak as ever!

  • 147.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:58 pm

    Look, the one blessing thus far: Morne Steyn should not feature for the Boks, and Lambie might feature a little more. That has to be a win for the good guys?

  • 148.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:59 pm

    Nope not allowed to say d a r k i e s

  • 149.Mighty Horua: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 17:59 pm

    @Dawn-138:

    Hi dawnie,

    Been working……

    Plus no reception to get on Keo

    How you been?

  • 150.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    20 Oct 2012, 18:00 pm

    Min 66
    Chilibooi dropped scrum :(

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