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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20 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
@Dusky-295: Well then THOSE bookies have obviously NOT watched us play knockout rugby before?
20 Oct 2012, 18:49 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-301: LOL LOL
Let’s see if today is any different. JdV is out after all.
20 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-289: I actually predicted that Meyer will pick him as his captain at the start of the season. Sort of like a John Smit pick, but he unfortunately did not play in the Super 15.
At least Meyer, by picking Botha, Coetzee, Etzebeth, Goosen, etc this season he has an eye for talent. It is just the old players that he sort of feels the need to pick, but they do not pull their weight. I mean you cannot pick 15 uncapped players for the Boks like some bloggers want, but you cannot continue with Steyn.
One Meyer selection I can see no way to defend him was unfortunately the Jacques Potgieter pick, but I think he will not be in the touring group.
20 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
@Horings-303:
Botha?
20 Oct 2012, 18:54 pm
allister, whatever he is as a coach he is an outstanding statesman…
good look on paying respect to tommy madigage & george davids.
#respect
20 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
Well done my Sharks. Good win and now into the another final.
Well done to Lambie too. Very good performance from the young flyhalf again and getting mom. Hope Meyer was watching. Can’t keep a brilliant player like that on the bench Meyer!
20 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
@Mighty Horua-298: Done with SA for now I think – but who knows what the future brings.
20 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
@Transformation-305: He is an incredible man full stop.
One I will certainly defend to the end. In terms of integrity, he has no competition.
20 Oct 2012, 18:57 pm
@Horings-303: i bet u Pottie will tour…meyer is convinced he is the next Bonnairre.
20 Oct 2012, 19:00 pm
Arno Botha, future Bulls and boks captain… In 2015 this could be our loose trio:
8 Botha
7 Coetzee
6 Kolisi
20 Oct 2012, 19:00 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-308: no arguments from me…from rugby/technical perspective…lacks dynamism
20 Oct 2012, 19:02 pm
@Transformation-311: All lacks dynamism means is:
pull in a few consultants – wild and creative ones
20 Oct 2012, 19:14 pm
Lambie and Daniel showing Heyneke a big up yours!!! Well done Sharks!!
20 Oct 2012, 19:16 pm
@mabu-265:
Amava namabhabathane. Kufuneka balungise 1, 9, 10(Whitehead) kule veki izayo.
20 Oct 2012, 19:18 pm
@mikeybrass-300: I think Meyer intelligence is an oxymoron
20 Oct 2012, 19:25 pm
well done sharks, well deserved. hope my bulls learned something at least.
20 Oct 2012, 19:25 pm
313…and mark lawrence to
20 Oct 2012, 19:30 pm
316….what was there to learn?
I dont believe either side played particularly well.
Difference is that one side was able to get some rythmn through penalties the other side was not.
20 Oct 2012, 20:02 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-317: Ditto and may he burn in hell.
20 Oct 2012, 20:06 pm
@David-304: Arno Botha. Meyer brought him into the Springbok group before the NZ/ Aus games.
20 Oct 2012, 20:43 pm
Well done to all you sharks fans you won fair and sqare,the bulls have no excuses,they have been playing SHITE all season and they played shite again today.Pienaar must now eff off back to the free state,as the bulls have went backwards under him.They were lucky to make the semis as their play did not deserve it.
20 Oct 2012, 21:36 pm
Bakkies…..told you mate….Bulls got nothing!
Lambie and sharks were a country mile bettter….
Hope the M Steyn debate is ended .
20 Oct 2012, 21:56 pm
thanks for the warmup bulls
20 Oct 2012, 22:26 pm
Well done to my Sharks, Stayed patient and slowly wore the Bulls down,
Tough Luck Bulls,
Conditions were very difficult, I see some fool making comments in total stupidity, then again not surprised taking into account whom the persons were.
20 Oct 2012, 22:28 pm
BUtch with the Sharks next year done deal, you read it here first Lol
20 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@blueboy-321: Tough luck mate and well done on not being like some making all the excuses in the world,
20 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@sharks_lover-325: dont f uk around!
you have made my year!
butch is one of my sharks hero’s.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
@Horings-320: Bad luck Horings,
20 Oct 2012, 22:32 pm
@rangerman-327: NO jokes Ranger bro, he is our back up 10 next year. sharkssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
20 Oct 2012, 22:32 pm
CJ Van De Linde off to france.
20 Oct 2012, 22:36 pm
@sharks_lover-329: bud you just made my night seriously.
you know how hard it was seeing butchie in lions colours?
no man, he is a shark thats it thats all.
i will stand and applaud his first step back onto our hallowed turf.
butch, i cant wait to see you back in black my man!
20 Oct 2012, 22:48 pm
@rangerman-331:
Mate i agree, Butch always a Sharks in my eyes, and atleast now we have good cover at 10.
20 Oct 2012, 22:55 pm
@sharks_lover-332: whoooooooooooooohooooooo!
21 Oct 2012, 00:34 am
Congratulations Sharks.
See you…scratch that…Win you next week.
21 Oct 2012, 00:45 am
@Mxhosa 310
well said, i agree! However, kholisi and coetsee play too much of the same game, I would love to see CJ Stander stay, he could fill the gap at 7 and have kholisi at 6 and arno botha at 8.
21 Oct 2012, 06:28 am
Well done Sharks….really good to see.
I really dont like the Bulls for some reason…… just personal hatred
But i see going by Bakkies posts that South African refs cheat as well.
What is going on here. Is it that the refs hate Bakkies himself or is it every team Bakkies backs is just bad luck…..
21 Oct 2012, 08:11 am
@Hurricane-336: Thanks mate. Actually you can become a honorary Shark Supporter this week..
We welcome all to support us in the final of Currie Cup at the Tank … 
Currie Cup here is huge mate, as big as Super Rugby for some of us. This will be the 3rd year in a row that Sharks have made the Currie Cup final and the 4th time in 5 years. Won it in 2008 and 2010. So hoping we can do it again.
21 Oct 2012, 08:19 am
@sharks_lover-325: That is brilliant news. Great back up for Lambie then. Actually after Butch played so well for Lions last week he SHOULD have started at fh for Lions again last night and they would have won.
Read in the paper that Ackerman wanted to start Butch at inside centre and he said no, would then rather sit on the bench. As he said he really does not like playing at 12. Ackerman should have started Butch again this week at fh after a brilliant performance last week. Jantjies was out of form last week and again last night and it cost the Lions.
Sharks can do with Butch for another year to cover Lambie. Good move by our Sharks to get him back. Those old knees of Butchie, still have another year of rugby left in em.
Hope somehow we can get the Lions LH to Sharks next year on loan to cover Beast. Then we sorted.
21 Oct 2012, 08:20 am
@rangerman-331: Feel exactly the same. Good words there Ranger.
21 Oct 2012, 09:11 am
I hope srain gets cited for that stiff arm.
21 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
Well if Lawrence was pro-bull…. he performed just as bad as the Bulls.
Bulls not going anywhere with this gameplan anymore.
Time overdue to re-think the plan for the next ten years.
I back the Bulls to actually get it right by S15 next year.
Shouldn’t be to difficult.
Congrats Sharks.
21 Oct 2012, 10:25 am
….shouldn’t be too… difficult, I mean.
21 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@Puma-337:
And you will have my support Puma.
21 Oct 2012, 10:41 am
@Hurricane-343: Good on you young man
21 Oct 2012, 11:39 am
@RL-190:
thanks RL, and hard luck for your boys too. you played a better game than the bulls did and you actually had an impartial referee.
both the lions and wp deserved to win but only one team could get it.
now then, wp or the sharkies… i’m torn…
@Atreides-175: @Atreides-228:
if looking forward to good positive rugby is a sin then ja well no fine… i’m guilty…
@Dusky-221:
how does history have anything to do with this game..?.. this was about the here and now, and in the here and now the bulls got shafted by a mediocre joker ref. sharks were the fancied team and in all probabiltiy should have been rightful winners but lets be honest about what went on here.
@bananaboy-236:
cheers bananaboy, ja this bulls team is still in transition and maybe one or two seasons aways from being earnest contenders. well done on your teams win all the same but the ref did leave a sour taste in the mouth.
@grant10-322:
nothing about the referee, grantie..?.
not a word…?..
@Hurricane-336:
ja, its personal… i think they hate me… and every man and his dog loves to hate the bulls and their players… in the case of the ref i honestly dont know what to say….
was it gross incompetence… was it something more sinister than even that…?..
its hard to say hurri, but i can tell you that the ref actually changed the laws of the game at point, in favour of the sharks.. literally did… i know this usually only happens for the ab’s and nz teams so it was rather shocking to witness.
even though it was pointed out to him by hs assistants and the tmo he chidied them off for being ‘overly technical’
with the rules.. i shitt you not..
21 Oct 2012, 11:43 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-345:
hehe
As always a lovely post by you Bakkies.
Sorry about your cheated loss.
Next time dude.
21 Oct 2012, 11:49 am
changed the laws of the game at point, = changed the laws of the game at one point,
21 Oct 2012, 11:52 am
@Hurricane-346:
hehe cheers and thanks hurri,
you had to see it to believe it with the ref last night. mark lawrence was outta this world with some of his rulings.
21 Oct 2012, 13:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-345: Coochy coo… Ag Shamies…
Looks like its more difficult than I thought for a Bulls supporter with obvious tunnel vision to actually accept that a team with superior players, 1 to 22, despite them being too small or better 15s than 10s with various other closedminded blindness to superiority excuses intersperse – got absolutely manshamed once and for all on the hallowed Kings Park turf…
And that with two egte “soft” souties at the coalface – Cooper and Chadwick actually embarrassing the “might” of the Bulls frontrow before Beast cam on actually annihilated them once and for all…
Followed by too small Keegan stealing a vaunted Bulls lineout nogal, and the other soutie Lambie absolutely embarrassing the flyhalf emperor with no clothes…
You poor pitiful live in the past Bull glories dumbfuck fool
21 Oct 2012, 13:31 pm
@Heavens Game-349:
ejoy your win hg
enjoy it
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