Meyer warms to Lambie
23 Oct 2012
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has confirmed Pat Lambie will be considered as a 10 option for the Boks’ end of year tour.
Meyer told Keo.co.za he had been impressed with Lambie’s performances for the Sharks in recent weeks and that the player gives him options at flyhalf and fullback.
Meyer initially saw Lambie more as a specialist fullback, but said that the player had worked hard at certain aspects of his game when with the Bok set-up and that he had translated that into performance in the Currie Cup.
‘I told Pat to work on his tactical kicking. He has really improved in that area and we will look at him as a 10 as well,’ said Meyer, who also confirmed he will assess the form of European-based South Africans playing in the Heineken and European Shield competitions.
‘We showed during the Rugby Championship that if we believe an overseas-based SA player would add value to the strength and depth of the national squad we would include him,’ said Meyer, in reference to the selections of Ruan Pienaar and Francois Louw, both of whom completed the competition as starting options.
‘The tour will provide a last opportunity in the year to assess form and value of players, with short and long term goals in mind. In 2013 I’d like to have the core of the squad settled as we work towards being successful in every Test and fine tune a squad capable of success at the World Cup in 2015.’
Meyer said injury to Andries Bekker was unfortunate and an emphasis would be on the depth at No 5 lock. He singled out the form of Eben Etzebeth and Flip van der Merwe and added that he would turn to an overseas-based SA option only if he believed there was not a player(s) of similar quality in South Africa in said positions.
‘If two players are of similar pedigree I will always first go with the guy in South Africa. The guy playing overseas has to be decidedly better to what is available at the time of selection.’
Meyer is meeting with the selectors of Thursday and confirmed much of the week has been spent working through footage of Heineken Cup games involving potential tour candidates.
‘The core of the Rugby Championship squad will travel if fit, but we are not going to look past a player who is overseas if his form is outstanding and we believe he would be an asset to the national squad.’
Veteran Springbok and former Bulls lock Bakkies Botha has been in good form for Toulon and he could be one of a select few South Africans abroad to make the squad.
Schalk Brits has been a standout performer for Saracens but his is not a name Meyer bandies about and injuries to South African-based props could see the Bok coach look north for tour replacements.
Louw (Bath) and Pienaar (Ulster) will make the squad again.
204 Comments
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23 Oct 2012, 14:41 pm
You Dragons asked for it and now you got it.
Welcome home girls.
23 Oct 2012, 14:44 pm
Sheez, Heyneke Meyer showing the players that he is not a closed door as people think!
Good on you Pat Lambie & HM
23 Oct 2012, 14:45 pm
Good call Heyneke.
23 Oct 2012, 14:46 pm
And the guppies wept…………
(Very good news this though, time to see what the kid can do on the international stage)
23 Oct 2012, 14:48 pm
I tell you, HM is really warming my heart.
changing on Flo, dropping Steyn, bringing in Vermulen, acknowledging that Lambie is impressing him sufficiently to be a 10.
Perhaps his man management skills are better than people are giving him credit for?
23 Oct 2012, 14:48 pm
King Lambie in da house!
23 Oct 2012, 14:53 pm
@Nikita-1:
Aint gonna happen.
23 Oct 2012, 14:53 pm
Keo knows his market…
*Cue the lost tribe of the Guppys
o_O
23 Oct 2012, 14:54 pm
Time to shine Lambie.I believe in you boet.
23 Oct 2012, 14:57 pm
@Transformation-8: Nope. It seems the other site has had record Sharks registrations since yesterday
It seems they are gone for good.
How sad my fishy friends aren’t here to celebrate this Lambie news
23 Oct 2012, 14:57 pm
Lambie is the perfect ten…and I don’t need a sharks fan to tell me that.
23 Oct 2012, 15:00 pm
Apparently Jacques Potgieter out of end of year tour. Stander would have been great now.
Flo
Alberts
Vermuelan
Daniel
errr, who else is there?
23 Oct 2012, 15:00 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-4: Do you have some extra tissues for me??
23 Oct 2012, 15:02 pm
More from Tony Johnson:
Before The Rugby Championship (can we have a competition to find a better name for it?) disappears in the rear view mirror, some awards.
These are random, feel free to agree, disagree, add your own.
Most riveting match: All Blacks v Springboks in Dunedin. An epic, brutal battle right out of the history of this great rivalry and, like so many in the past, decided as much by opportunities lost as by those taken.
Most complete performance: All Blacks v Argentina in La Plata. It took a brilliant Pumas try to spark it, but this was the one where potential became reality.
Outstanding individual: Richie McCaw. Surely even his arch-critics have to acknowledge his leadership, his bravery, his refusal to take a backward step.
Five established players who inspired: Juan Martin Fernandez-Lobbe, Nathan Sharpe, Rodrigo Roncero, Kieran Read, Bryan Habana.
Five “rookies” destined for greatness: Eben Etzebeth, Johan Goosen, Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick, Michael Hooper.
Most disastrous cameo: Dean Greyling in Dunedin. Another five minutes of that and he’d have been added to the list of suspects in the Kennedy assassination.
Player most likely to inflict an injury on their own teammate: A tie between Owen Franks and Scott Higginbotham, with Conrad Smith a surprise contender after rearranging Luke Romano’s facial features in Buenos Aires.
Team of the tournament : Dagg, Jane, Habana, C Smith, Nonu, Carter, A Smith, Read, McCaw, Louw, Whitelock, Etzebeth, Franks, Strauss, Roncero.
Team try of the tournament : Martin Landajo for the Pumas against the All Blacks in La Plata…created by the dazzling footwork of Lucas Gonzales Amorosino. Magic.
Individual try of the tournament: Aaron Smith in Dunedin, probably the most important moment in the whole series.
Best ref: Jaco Peyper. Calm, composed, vigilant but empathetic.
And at the other end of the scale : Allain Rolland. Match-ruiningly pedantic in Sydney, myopic in Jo’burg.
Worst match: Wallabies v Pumas in Rosario. Much needed win for the crippled Wallabies, but the Pumas were out of gas, the mistakes were pandemic and some clown in the crowd started laser lighting Kurtley Beale while he was lining up kicks.
Best athmosphere : La Plata
Best stadium: FNB (despite the traffic snarl getting out).
Biggest mystery: The missed goal kicks in Dunedin. It’s covered, there’s no wind, FGS!
Toughest challenge: Trying to conquer the mixed meat “platter” at Las Nazarenas Steak House in Buenos Aires. Beef, pork, goat, lamb, chicken, sausage. It covered the entire table. We (five of us) just got through it, and no-one needed breakfast the next day. Warning: If you ever go to this place, DO NOT under any circumstance order an entrée or eat the bread rolls.
Best Beer: Windhoek, for the 10th year running.
Best Steak: The pepper-crusted sirloin at the Butcher Shop and Grill, Nelson Mandela Square.
Best weather: Jozi
Worst pickpockets: Buenos Aires
23 Oct 2012, 15:04 pm
The nights are so lonely the days are so sad and
I just keep thinking about the love that we had
And we missing you
And nobody knows it but us
Come back to us now
I see you right there, peeking and reading
but it is not like being here
And nobody knows it but us
23 Oct 2012, 15:06 pm
@John Galt-14: Haha. Good post! It took me 7 years of drinking SAB brands before Windhoek grew on me
23 Oct 2012, 15:07 pm
Doesnt matter who we play at 10.If hes still told to put up bombs,slow service from pienaar at 9,zigag defense,no linebreaking threat in midfeld,Kirchner at 15,hougaard out of position,willem alberts not at ful fitness etc
nothing going to change
Instead Lambie set up to fail
23 Oct 2012, 15:18 pm
@John Galt-14:
The rest of the world still haven’t worked out the SA openside being a 6. I’ve noticed in many of these best of teams, that they include an SA openside along with McCaw in their loose trio.
23 Oct 2012, 15:19 pm
Mshini ayisazani. Injani impilo?
23 Oct 2012, 15:20 pm
I can see this playing out.Sharks fans called for his inclusion at ten,but will now turn around and say that Bambi will be set up to fail.I hope it’s not so.
23 Oct 2012, 15:20 pm
@mshiniwami-17: Pienaar’s service once he picks the ball up is quick. He seldom does the sideways run like Guy Cronje for the Lions two weeks ago. He just messes around with the ball too much inside the ruck.
23 Oct 2012, 15:22 pm
marsupalami, Hougaard played his best rugby @ wing …
23 Oct 2012, 15:23 pm
Finally – someone is recognising the talent of Lambie. This guy has the potential to be better than Goosen. He is the iceman of flyhalves. Great temperament – attacks the defenders and distributes smoothly. I still maintain that he will make a brilliant 10/12 combo with Goosen. That, however, is wishful thinking because he is not the carthorse type that SA coaches want at 12. Let’s hope Meyer gives Lambie an opportunity at 10.
23 Oct 2012, 15:23 pm
cry baby bunting mammas gone a hunting, all the little wet fishies a swimming upstream with their sorry little sensitivity feelings hurt
Meyer is one fat cockup of a coach, everything he does is arse about face knee jerk reactionary stupid moron with his thinking in reverse. Now he tries to make out it was his astute coaching why Lambie suddenly put into practice his suggestion to work on his ‘tactical kicking’ turning his game around, this coach is an absolute moron and it shows. Making wrong calls and dismal stupid decisions since day one going in circles learning his trade by hit and miss knee jerk reactions as he goes along.
WP must just play Groom and Schreuder at 9 and 10 and they show these guppies what goes for what.
23 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
s@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-10: sorry, I missed this whole sharks supporters emigration.
please fill me in?
23 Oct 2012, 15:30 pm
@John Galt-14: You mean SA didn’t win the battle of the pickpockets????? Hallelujah for that
Our Kiwi friends would have had a field day……
23 Oct 2012, 15:31 pm
@Nikita-1:
way to suck up, dear….
DISCLAIMER: what meyer tells keo.co.za and what meyer actually does are two ‘delicately’ different things. i.e. just cos he thinks enough to say he’s in the frame does not mean he is going to ne in the frame.
23 Oct 2012, 15:31 pm
@Gtown-25: Nikita will fill you in. Tis all her fault.
23 Oct 2012, 15:33 pm
@KingTJ-13: This will make you sob even harder. Alistair Coetzee doing some Lambie praise singing that will reduce you to a gibbering wreck.
“There is no denying that Pat Lambie is a very special player indeed, one of those really classy players who stand out because of the extra time they have on the ball and their ability to win matches for their team,” said Coetzee.
“I’ve always rated Lambie, ever since I saw him first play. He is an excellent flyhalf, he has all the attributes for the position, and he has shown that since returning to the position since coming back from the Springboks.
“For someone like him, moving back to flyhalf is like getting back onto a bicycle. You never lose the knack of knowing how to do it.
“But I have been amazed at how strongly he has made his point with the opportunities he has been given in the last two matches for the Sharks. He has probably exceeded expectations. Against both Griquas and then against the Bulls he was outstanding.”
Reminded that 12 months ago he had said Lambie should be the Bok flyhalf, Coetzee just smiled.
“My opinion might not be that important, but he is a well rounded player. Lambie had a blinder in the 2010 final against us (where he scored 25 of the Sharks’ 30 points), but he is such a gifted player. Once he sees an opportunity, he will take it.”
You see, everyone loves Lambie – just like we told you.
23 Oct 2012, 15:35 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-29:
And nobody knows it but us.@Gtown-25:
Blame it on global warming.
23 Oct 2012, 15:36 pm
Is this what a virtual olive branch looks like?
23 Oct 2012, 15:36 pm
Good coaching of Lambie,Heyneke.I remember you saying the same about Habana,coach….until Habs only gave credit to his WP coaches for his turnaround in form.
23 Oct 2012, 15:41 pm
@Nikita-30:
Don’t blame it on the sunshine
Don’t blame it on the moonlight
Don’t blame it on the good times
Blame it on the boogie
23 Oct 2012, 15:41 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-10:
23 Oct 2012, 15:43 pm
Slowly but surely Boks headed the right direction……thank fark!
Spies….gone!
Plod….gone!
M Steyn….about to be gone !
Now if only we could have got rid of these wally in 2010 we could have won WC….
Farkit man…
23 Oct 2012, 15:44 pm
if the NAMBLA (natal man boy love association) members do indeed return then i would like to know what the fark is up with the ticket price fiasco..?..
typical sharkie thinking…
way to shoot the goose you’ve hardly grown.
23 Oct 2012, 15:44 pm
@stormersboy-33: poor boogie
@gunther-31:
23 Oct 2012, 15:45 pm
@grant10-35:
Don’t be too certain about Spies being gone.
23 Oct 2012, 15:47 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-36:
They need the money to buy some more players.
23 Oct 2012, 15:47 pm
Indeed.
Now all we need to do is get rid of the fair weather Namibian supporters.
23 Oct 2012, 15:49 pm
Bakkies
Its plain BS. They seem to make a point of overcharging when it comes to finals down here. Anyways il not be paying that much. Dros gateway is the next port of call.
23 Oct 2012, 15:51 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-29: Nah never trust the enemy, they will say anything to throw your game. The bok coach is different, but then again he did say he was keeping keegan for the Australasia end of the tour……So i guess they all praat k.a.k, behalwe my Pa en Plumtree.
23 Oct 2012, 15:53 pm
Just a pity we still got a few Bulls supporters around.Hopefully we can purge them through a second ‘groot trek’.
23 Oct 2012, 15:55 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-26: @gunther-40: alking about dof thieves
Khulubuse Zuma’s car hijacked outside KFC
Times LIVE | 23 October, 2012 09:07
A source said: “They pointed the gun at the bodyguard’s head and demanded he show them how to drive the car. It seemed like the technology of the BMW 740i was a bit confusing for them.”
According to the source, the bodyguard then tried to show them how to start the car but the men panicked when they heard who the car belonged to.
“The suspects panicked when they heard the Zuma name and wanted to shoot the bodyguard… They were scared he would be able to identify them.
23 Oct 2012, 15:56 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-36: Buy season tickets…..no problem then ( we sharkies are sometimes on cheap side, I think we got it from our Indian cousins here who always want a bargain)
23 Oct 2012, 15:56 pm
@David-39:
that or the cost of erecting a 10 meter solid bronze statue of the legendary pat lambie is a little more expensive than initially estimated
@skunk-41:
ek stem saam, dis totale kak.
do they really need the money that badly? what about the die hard sharks supporters? when last have they had a reason to be happy…
23 Oct 2012, 15:58 pm
@KingTJ-45:
oh well, there’s also that i suppose.
23 Oct 2012, 15:58 pm
@Transformation-44: Only in Africa, still something you don’t know how to use…it is pretty much the same they want to do with the commercial farmers.
23 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-46: After this Saturday you will need to add an extra five metres to that statue.
23 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@Nikita-30: Aint seen anyone flip the bird as well as you yet !!!!!
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