Pat must play, Morné must rest
22 Oct 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the Currie Cup semi-finals showed why Pat Lambie is ready for the Springbok flyhalf responsibility, and why the other contenders are not.
Lambie went into the 2012 Test season with plenty to prove. New Bok coach Heyneke Meyer wasn’t convinced that he had what it took to hold down a starting position. The biggest concern was Lambie’s tactical kicking accuracy and game management. Meyer felt that Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner held the edge in this department.
It was also around this time that Meyer made it clear that Morné Steyn was his preferred flyhalf. According to the Bok coach, the team would need Steyn’s composure, as well his goal- and tactical-kicking precision if they hoped to win Tests consistently.
Over the course of the season, however, Steyn has failed to display the strengths that helped the Boks win the series against the British & Irish Lions as well as the Tri-Nations in 2009. Ironically, it’s been his lack of accuracy that has cost the team matches in 2012.
Following the disappointing draw to England in Port Elizabeth, Meyer admitted that Steyn would need to find form in the subsequent Super Rugby games if the Boks were to improve. They turned out to be prophetic words, as Steyn continued to struggle over the next few months, and this had a negative impact on both the Bulls and the Boks.
When Steyn was eventually axed, Meyer explained that the flyhalf had played virtually non-stop for three years, and so he required a mental break. But only a few weeks later, Steyn was asked to lift the Bulls out of the Currie Cup relegation zone and into the play-offs.
It was a task that Steyn responded to at first. He proved instrumental in the Bulls’ crucial win over the Lions, a result that propelled the Pretorians into a semi-final against the Sharks. However, it was in this latter game where his shortcomings, both physical and mental, were again exposed.
There are many who feel that Steyn will add value on the Boks’ end-of-year tour to Europe. I have to disagree.
It’s a difficult tour where conditions prescribe a tighter and more tactical approach. Steyn’s supporters will say that he fits the bill, but my argument is that Steyn is suited to this role only in theory.
If you look at where Steyn is mentally, and how he has consistently struggled to regain his once prolific kicking accuracy, how can you even consider taking him to Europe and asking him to win three Tests in a row?
Steyn was not solely to blame for Saturday’s loss to the Sharks, but it was because of his poor kicking and game management that the Bulls battled to get out of their own half.
He’s never been known as a dirty or ill-disciplined player, and yet, he finished this game with a swinging arm that connected the face of Sharks fullback Louis Ludik.
The Bulls were about to lose, to exit the Currie Cup, and Steyn reacted badly. It’s not too much of a stretch to judge this action as a response to his seemingly endless struggles of 2012. It’s very clear that he needs a mental break from rugby.
Lambie made a massive statement with his excellent goal-kicking performance at Kings Park, as well as a fine display of game management that played a big role in the Sharks’ overwhelming territorial advantage.
Looking at the performances of both flyhalves in Durban, you’d have to say that things couldn’t have gone better for Lambie in a Bok context. Lambie rose above the pressure, while Steyn succumbed to it. On the basis of that game, it’s clear which player you’d back to win the Boks’ Tests in Europe.
The flyhalf position has been a talking point ever since Johan Goosen went down with a season-ending injury at Soccer City. Goosen is the future at No 10, but it is Lambie who can provide the Boks with another strong option. And in the modern game where the schedule is relentless and serious injuries are a reality, you need two strong options.
The other semi-final in Johannesburg also highlighted why Lambie is the best available choice. Elton Jantjies may have already played for the Boks this season, but I’m not convinced that he has the temperament, nor the skill set at this stage of his career, to handle the ultimate responsibility.
Jantjies missed three early kicks at goal, and these misses were massive in the context of a rain-affected game. Indeed, if you compare Jantjies’ misses in Johannesburg with Lambie’s early penalties in Durban, you could say that Jantjies blew a similar chance to establish early momentum, to build a commanding lead and set up a convincing win.
The sight of Jantjies being flattened by the diminutive Gio Aplon will not inspire confidence. His lack of physicality has long been considered a shortcoming, as has his defence which was exposed in that Test against the All Blacks at Soccer City.
He’s a confidence player, and only takes the ball to the gain line when he receives it on the front foot. When his forwards aren’t enjoying that sort of momentum, he slides back into the pocket.
The obvious response to this statement is: which flyhalf doesn’t?
Of all the players who have played flyhalf in recent seasons, Lambie has stood out as a player who continues to take the initiative despite the failure of his forwards. The game I’m referring to is the 2011 Test against the All Blacks in New Zealand where he played one of his better games in a Bok jersey. He responds well to that sort of pressure.
Goosen is injured. Jantjies’s is a talent that has yet to be fully developed and refined. Steyn has lost confidence and form and can’t be expected to win games for South Africa in his current guise.
And then we have Lambie, who has led the Sharks to back-to-back wins with superb all-round displays. Lambie, who in all likelihood will lead the Sharks to another Currie Cup title in Durban this Saturday. Lambie, a match-winner.
Really, it’s not a difficult call to make.
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463 Comments
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22 Oct 2012, 15:18 pm
@Horings-395: the Guppy fans are crying for Louis Ludik, they say he is THE BEST FULLBACK in the country.
22 Oct 2012, 15:19 pm
@nama1-396: I agree 100%. This is exactly what I mean with “If the centres and other outside back are taugth to make themselves available then a good long pass infield is mostly the first option.”
The decision making is important to simply decide if it is on or not. A good up and under should also be an option.
22 Oct 2012, 15:21 pm
@Transformation-401: Why was he not good enough earlier this year. He is not a new kid on the block, is he? I have always been intrigued with the idea of JP Pietersen at fullback. He started out his career at fullback and the idea back then was to play him at wing a couple of seasons, because he was only 19 years old but to play him at fullback later on in his career.
22 Oct 2012, 15:25 pm
@Transformation-399: It is not the one or the other, but doing well in super rugby is more important for a franchise these days.
Winning the Currie Cup was everyone’s goal in the Currie Cup and we did not chop and change too much, so we do want to win it, but I think a good Super rugby season is top priority.
22 Oct 2012, 15:25 pm
@Transformation-388: I didn’t see the build up to the Bledisloe cup.
I’ll wait for the real story to come out, but it leaves a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth.
22 Oct 2012, 15:32 pm
@Horings-402:
I said some time ago that counter attacking is something that you practise just like you do your set moves from 1st phase or whatever phase. Looking at our teams trying to counter attack as individuals (think Aplon for example), I wonder if this is a skill that is practised by the coaches.
22 Oct 2012, 15:37 pm
@nama1-406: indeed, it was not coincidence that when dagg fielded the taute clearance there were 3 all blacks standing in line to shift the ball towards habana who shot out of the line and a visibly LIMPING johan goosen!
22 Oct 2012, 15:40 pm
@Horings-403: Doesn’t have the kicking game for 15.
22 Oct 2012, 15:42 pm
@Transformation-392: And Beale, Mitchell and O’Connor at Bloem in 2010…
22 Oct 2012, 15:47 pm
@pompies2-405:
it doesn’t look good for Ashwyn.
22 Oct 2012, 15:51 pm
Doesn’t look good for Aswin either.
22 Oct 2012, 15:54 pm
@pompies2-405: @gunther-410: It makes one feel physically ill to be honest.
That chick saying, ‘I had a meeting with Ashwin and that’s how I became involved, and all the money I got is mine, I’m buying a car with it at the moment’….or something to that effect.
Very disappointing.
22 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-412: sounded audacious. There seemed to be a clear disconnect between the reality of the situation and what that lady knew. She is complicit, but perhaps doesn’t know all the facts. It’s like someone offered her money if she borrowed them her name and in return she would get a stipend.
22 Oct 2012, 16:02 pm
@nama1-406: @Transformation-407: you have it spot on there Transie…what the AB’s do brilliantly when they counter attack is that the retreating players fan out and wait for the counter-attacking player, let’s say a Dagg, to put them on side… when he has joined the “retreating group” there is an overlap created that the defence cannot defend against… they do it all the time and 4 out of 5 times it works…
22 Oct 2012, 16:08 pm
@theOracle-414: Typical weakness of bok rugby, it’s almost like the macho thing to do is let the ball carrier make a strong carry and wait for him to go to ground where someone else is waiting for a chance to carry as opposed to working hard off the ball and giving the carrier options.
22 Oct 2012, 16:11 pm
@pompies2-413: Indeed. That is what horrified me. As she started talking about the car, it became clear she too was a pawn, with a suitable name, a friendship with the ‘right’ person/s and no clue what-so-ever as to what the journalist was actually asking, and the scope of the questions…..The journos hit pay dirt when she started talking, so openly and innocently.
Money for nothing and your chicks for free….
And whilst all this Santa Claus sh y te is going down, the community burns?
Mindfuckingboggling.
22 Oct 2012, 16:16 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-412:
if these companies gave their BEE allocation in its entirety to their workforce they would never have another strike.
22 Oct 2012, 16:20 pm
@gunther-417: You know what my Bulls friend. It really is that simple…….
But the ******* giftgrabbers would never allow Santa to dish out gifts to those who actually deserved it….
22 Oct 2012, 16:22 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-418:
I know.
It’s too depressing for a monday.
Make me yearn for something cold.
22 Oct 2012, 16:26 pm
@gunther-419: Get into HG’s mind. A colder, darker and more dismal place you will not find. Unlock his ‘alleged’ (grnated by self) genius whilst you are there please.
22 Oct 2012, 16:27 pm
@gunther-417: I wonder why they don’t? It would still meet the BEE requirement and it would give the poorer people the benefit…I suppose the only reason is that the everyday workers are not politically connected and cannot help in buying mining rights. Flippin sad!
22 Oct 2012, 16:27 pm
@gunther-419:
Zuma’s heart?
22 Oct 2012, 16:30 pm
@gunther-417:
Isn’t that what Kumba did?
22 Oct 2012, 16:32 pm
@Skeppie-421:
I would have thought that would have been broad-based BEE rather mainlining liquified foie gras into khulubuse zuma’s bum.
@WP-Forever-422:
I see the price of Africa’s Versailles has jumped up another 50 million.
They are desperately trying to get the money spent before conference time.
22 Oct 2012, 16:33 pm
@gunther-424: I have just snorted my coffee through my nose that was so funny
22 Oct 2012, 16:33 pm
@Skeppie-421: Well, now that the Goldfields deal has been put under scrutiny in this way – one hopes there is some sort of fallout.
Fuckballs it’s dreadfully unethical.
22 Oct 2012, 16:38 pm
Interesting
“Elton Jantjies may have already played for the Boks this season, but I’m not convinced that he has the temperament, nor the skill set at this stage of his career, to handle the ultimate responsibility.”
JC’s learning curve is pretty uninspiring
Took him 2 years to figure that out
22 Oct 2012, 16:38 pm
@Skeppie-415: exactly! Another thing that they (bok rugby) don’t do oftern enuf is to bring down the ball carrier even if he is about to pass (and I’m not promoting late tackles here
)
think about it, but how many times have you see the Bok defence drifting waiting for the ball carrier to pass instead of taking the man down and making sure that he is not there 3 passes later to receive the final pass for clear path to a try… so elementary but yet… *sigh*
22 Oct 2012, 16:44 pm
@Hondo-427: yeah, it took JC a 2011 CC Final mom performance and a few 2012 CC mom awards (including player of the month award) to “not convince him that Jantjies has the temperament, nor the skill set at this stage of his career, to handle the ultimate responsibility.”
he is slow our JC, and you Hondo are better than him
22 Oct 2012, 16:49 pm
@theOracle-414: with the skill sets they possess, it doesn’t matter if the “retreating players are read, messam, gear and whitelock, they STILL burn you on the outside!
check the dagg try in Dunedin, 2 sbw-like offloads from whitelock & read, israel akuhata dagg was cantering over the tryline with bokke stretcheed after a ruan box-kick!
22 Oct 2012, 16:49 pm
Agh what BS especially the temperament of Jantjies comment
in 2010 Lambie was outstanding in CC final but wasnt picked for the Boks as 10
in 2011 Jantjies was outstanding in CC and was MVP of Lions campaign,he did it with way lss talent around that Lambie whose Sharks are Bok laden especially in pack.Blew away Sharks
Lambie played well vs Bulls,but this has to be the weakest Bulls team in a long long time.But cant take it away from Lambie who controlled game with expertise
Both Lambie and Jantjies are frontrunners for Bok 10 jersey on EOYT,and as things usually go the one who has played 10 for Boks recently in position usually gets leg up in such a situation
22 Oct 2012, 16:53 pm
@theOracle-429:
I am not even in the same league
The Bookies gave the Lions with Jantjies an automatic ‘LOSS’ during the Super15, who am I to argue with them?
WP are not in a rush to sign the jem, so it seemed now, how fast were the Bulls to sign Pollard?
22 Oct 2012, 16:58 pm
@mshiniwami-431: Hiyas Mshini? you going to the Final??
22 Oct 2012, 17:11 pm
@sharks_lover-433:
howzit mate,most definitely i will be at final,just hope weather is better this weekend.Went to semi as well.
Was good to see Lambie and Mvovo playing with confidence,forgotten Boks somewhat.Especially above Meyer’s soldiers in Morne & Basson.
22 Oct 2012, 17:12 pm
@mshiniwami-431: didn’t lambie play on the EOYT against Ireland where he missed a sitter in front of posts?
or was that at 15 i can’t recall now.
22 Oct 2012, 17:13 pm
@Hondo-432:
Bulls were also fast to sign Johan Sadie…..at 1.6 million
great stuff
22 Oct 2012, 17:14 pm
@Transformation-435:
think he only played 10 in weakened Bok side in 2011 away leg of trinations
22 Oct 2012, 17:16 pm
@Hondo-432: the lions with jantjies or without have been losers going to a decade now
22 Oct 2012, 17:16 pm
@mshiniwami-436:
Does it mean Sadie is no good?
WP aren’t in a hurry to sign Jantjies, that’s the point
22 Oct 2012, 17:17 pm
@mshiniwami-437: i think he came on as a sub for morne against ireland in the game where zane played 13 and missed a sitter as i said…will check now..
22 Oct 2012, 17:21 pm
@mshiniwami-437: yes i’m right, debuted against ireland @ 10 subbing for morne on 6 Nov 2010…then jantjies started the Baabas game @ 10 with andries strauss outside him
22 Oct 2012, 17:32 pm
@Transformation-440: The sitter he missed was in driving rain. And it was against Scotland. Morne was taken off and we got a penalty. Lambie walked straight on and had to take the kick. Daft captaincy by Victor at the time, the youngster had not even warmed up yet, and had to take the kick. That kick was supposed to go to Ruan. Read that when Lambie came on Muir gave instructions to Victor to give the that kick to Ruan but instead Victor had a point to prove because his buddy had to go off the field.
Have you EVER been to Scotland and been that those kinda conditions? Probably not otherwise you would not be putting a daft smiling smiley up there.
22 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
@Puma-442: Tell me about it Puma, I was there, at Murrayfield.
I am going again this year to see if the Boks can make amends for that horrible performance.
Don’t hold your breath though – every time I go to Scotland, the Boks suffer. I also witnessed the 47-0 drubbing Samoa gave our 7s team in Glasgow.
22 Oct 2012, 17:37 pm
@mshiniwami-431: Howzit Mshini,
That does not always happen when a player played last in that position he gets selected in the next game to start there.
Aplon played fb against England in PE and was NEVER selected again. It went to Zane bud.
Probably what Meyer wants it seems.
22 Oct 2012, 17:41 pm
@willievz-443: Yes the conditions can be harsh in Scotland. If some have not been there they have absolutely no clue at all. Driving rain there means almost gale force winds. I go there often Willie, not to the rugby just go over to visit friends. Really enjoy Scotland a lot.
Would love one day to go to Murrayfield. Have never been there. Hope it turns out better for us this year bud.
22 Oct 2012, 17:41 pm
@Puma-442: I’m pretty sure it was against Ireland? I remember it pretty well, it was right in front, and despite your post it could be easily spun to “Victor thought of giving the new kid an easy kick in front of the posts to gain confidence”.
Regardless of conditions that kick should’ve gone over, it didn’t, and nobody really cared that much. In fact I remember Lambie smiling sheepishly and the senior guys patted him on the back.
I know okes joke, but your defense of Lambie is borderline unhealthy, far too emotional…
22 Oct 2012, 17:45 pm
@Bagel-446: Lambie missed a sitter against Ireland (bang in front).
The Scotland kick was slightly more difficult – at an angle and in appalling weather.
However – and I will be harsh on Lambie here – a Bok 10 should have been able to slot that.
22 Oct 2012, 17:49 pm
What about
Jantjies at 10
Lambie at 12
F.Steyn at 15
Or is this too “outside the box”?
22 Oct 2012, 17:55 pm
@willievz-447: Thought so.
Can’t remember the Scotland one, if it was that game when we lost, then perhaps it was for the best. Needed a wake up call beeeg time at that stage. Went on to smash England if I’m not correct?
22 Oct 2012, 18:04 pm
@Bagel-449: Wouldn’t say we “smashed” England that year – at least not 2008 43-6 style.
But 21-11 was still lovely.
Made some money at the bookies too, SA was the underdog at 8/15
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