Pat won’t be pigeonholed
7 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Dublin, reports Pat Lambie wants to challenge the perception that he is primarily a running flyhalf who will be asked to venture out of his comfort zone tactically with the Springboks.
That perception still lingers, even though those who’ve watched Lambie closely in Super Rugby and more recently in three Currie Cup games will attest to a significantly more rounded player tactically.
Certainly his strength lies in attacking (and often breaching) the gainline or setting his outside backs away, but Lambie’s game management has soared to new heights, and he has now established himself as a flyhalf equally adept at playing for field position as he is with ball in hand.
The 22-year-old rarely gives insight into his true feelings on, well, anything. He is expertly drilled in the science of saying a lot without actually saying anything, but the frustration at this ongoing perception around his tactical capacity was obvious.
‘Some people are under the wrong impression about the way I want to play,’ he began. ‘I don’t just want to run everything, I’ll play to space and if that space is behind [the defensive line] I’ll kick it. The coach has spoken to me and made it clear what he expects [tactically], so hopefully I can meet those expectations.
‘My tactical game is something I’ve been working on. In the Springboks’ squad there’s a lot of focus on tactical kicking and I’ve learned a lot this year in terms of tactical awareness – when to ‘play’ and when to kick. I definitely feel like I’ve grown as a player.’
Lambie will also be tasked with the goal-kicking responsibilities. He kicked superbly in the Currie Cup semi-final and final, banking 11 of 13 attempts, which bodes well for the Springboks in a facet of their play that has contributed significantly to their struggles this year. Indeed it was terminal against the All Blacks in Dunedin, where a victory would have had invaluable spin-offs confidence-wise and kept them in contention for the title.
The Springboks have used six different goal-kickers to date, and Lambie hopes he can ease the concerns around this area of their play. ‘I’ve struck the ball alright in those three games I played for the Sharks and I’m feeling comfortable about it. Hopefully it goes alright on Saturday,’ he said.
Meyer initially saw Lambie mostly as a fullback, but has been swayed by his form while steering the Sharks’ ship in the No 10 shirt. Lambie, however, was non-committal when asked where he saw his Test future unfolding.
‘I’m going to give it my best at flyhalf this weekend and I want to play well enough to make the position my own. If that’s not at flyhalf it can be at fullback as well. At the moment I don’t want to throw all my eggs in one basket. I’ll take what comes,’ he said.
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14 Comments
7 Nov 2012, 17:24 pm
“HM has taught me the importance of tactical kicking and to play like Morne. I now know that I should kick 95% of our ball away, preferably into the hands of the back three.” Sounds promising.
7 Nov 2012, 17:30 pm
Keep going Super Pat… Keep giving the figurative middle finger to those fools who reckon you can’t cut it as a Bok…
Pity Keegan isn’t there to do the same thing…
7 Nov 2012, 17:40 pm
“In the Springboks’ squad there’s a lot of focus on tactical kicking and I’ve learned a lot this year in terms of tactical awareness – when to ‘play’ and when to kick.”
I just hope that you were a better student than Morne then because he sure did not know “when to “play” and when to kick.” With him it was just kick, kick , kick even when there were opportunities to “play” the ball.
Good luck, young man. Hope you have a blinder.
7 Nov 2012, 17:42 pm
Take what the Führer says with a pinch of salt, Pat. He may not be there for very much longer.
7 Nov 2012, 18:22 pm
@nama1-3: Well said Nama.Would
like to have a conversation with you one day about the Nama people.
7 Nov 2012, 18:48 pm
Hopefully Lambie is the success story of this tour and makes it impossible for Goosen to get into the 22. I can live with Lambie at 1 and Goosen at 2, although I think Goosen is the future. This will also help with Goosen’s development if he only plays super rugby and minor parts with the Boks. A full season of Super XV, Springbok and Currie Cup rugby is going to break a young player’s career.
7 Nov 2012, 18:56 pm
@Horings-6: “Goosen to get into the 22″ should read “Goosen to get into the 15″
7 Nov 2012, 19:48 pm
Louis koon and Ricardo lobster need to be replaced from bok setup.
7 Nov 2012, 20:04 pm
as “kicking coach” Louis Koen has turned some of the most accurate goal kickers in the world (M.Steyn & Goosen) into blundering idiots.. Koen must get the BOOT !!
baadtjies vir boeties … a HM trait I’m seeing everywhere!
7 Nov 2012, 20:17 pm
@the_rugby_guru-8: The whole setup is a joke, not only those two. Meyer himself is a blundering buffoon.
7 Nov 2012, 21:15 pm
Pat is a master flyhalf. All others will be left on the sidelines for years to come.
7 Nov 2012, 22:09 pm
Watch Pat play the percentages like a used car salesman on Saturday.
8 Nov 2012, 08:07 am
Pigeonholing FH’s is HM’s speciality.
He is a devalue machine: In comes talented and promising FH’s and out goes one dimensional useless washouts!
8 Nov 2012, 08:11 am
@brains_trust-9: Yup, the three stooges:
Louis Koen – Kicking idiot
Ricardo Loubscher – Backline Coach
John McFarland – Defensive Coach
All should get the boot.
Van Graan has shown he is the only one who knows anything.
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