Critical juncture for Lambie
20 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in London, writes Pat Lambie has yet to convince of his aptitude as a Test flyhalf but has an opportunity to push his case with a strong showing at Twickenham.
Lambie’s lot is an unenviable one. From the outset of the tour he was acutely aware that he would have, at most, three run outs to advance his cause as a Springbok pivot, the position he showed promise in with the Sharks this season. With Lambie’s potency resting heavily on the performance of his pack and coach Heyneke Meyer inadvertently contradicting his professed faith in Lambie by admitting that Morne Steyn is an insurance policy, his plight was complicated.
Meyer was also initially cold on the idea of Lambie in the No 10 shirt – believing him to be better suited to fullback – but has softened his stance in light of his Super Rugby and Currie Cup form. The decision to install him ahead of Steyn was a difficult one for Meyer, despite the latter’s obvious struggles throughout the season, with that call made on the Sunday before the Ireland Test. Even then it was not one taken with absolute conviction.
Adding to Lambie’s challenge was the need to adapt his natural game to meet Meyer’s high expectations of his flyhalves from a tactical kicking perspective. This has been Lambie’s weakest point over the last fortnight, although it would be remiss not to note that he has effectively had just two halves of ‘play’, owing to the Springboks’ awful start in Dublin and their regression in the second half at Murrayfield on Saturday. Furthermore he has been partnered by Ruan Pienaar, who is on his own mission to nail down a place, and a back division that lacks cohesion and synergy.
He will be desperate for things to come together over 80 minutes against England.
There have been moments to inspire confidence that he could advance his cause if given a strong platform by his forwards. He will also hope to benefit from what seems to be a measure of power that Twickenham has offered Springbok flyhalves in recent years – with Butch James, Andre Pretorius and Ruan Piennar all delivering excellent performances in their sides’ wins in 2006 and 2008 respectively. In James’s case it settled then coach Jake White’s mind that he was the right man to steer the ship at the 2007 World Cup. Pretorius made that squad on the strength of what he could offer from a goal and tactical kicking perspective, and Pienaar was retained at flyhalf for the British & Irish Lions series after his impressive offering in 2008.
He has the inside lane to be at the head of the queue to push Johan Goosen, Meyer’s first-choice flyhalf, for his place. My understanding, based on information from sources close to Lambie, is that it is also the position he sees himself settling in, despite him saying in Dublin that he is happy to switch between fullback and flyhalf at this stage.
It was always highly unrealistic to expect him to thrive in such a short period of time and against the backdrop of the aforementioned complexities. But sometimes in professional sport, this is how it is. International careers have been launched, stalled or ended by athletes who have capitalised on unexpected opportunities of this ilk.
At just 22, Lambie’s Test career certainly won’t be ended by a failure to flourish at Twickenham. It could, however, be stalled. His is one of the most interesting sub-plots that will play out. The occasion and incentive calls for an emphatic statement from Lambie.
123 Comments
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20 Nov 2012, 05:41 am
Lambie getting stuffed by a dof coach!
Poor Dragon!
20 Nov 2012, 06:02 am
Play flipping hougi with lambie…
Play taute with hougi and lambie…
Play mapoe in jp’s place…
Play mvovo in hougi’s place…
Play cilliers in cj’s place…
Play marcell in albert’s place…
Use the supersubs superbly… Do your bash and smash k@k in the first 50… And use the likes of mapoe de jong and mvovo’s pace in the last 30 and bring on the subs and then bash and attack them altogether is it then so hard?
20 Nov 2012, 06:32 am
lambie is being placed in an almost untenable situation and under massive unjustified pressure…
morne was pants for how many tests…? his goalkicking cost heyneke a better win/loss ratio… yet he was retained and given countless chances…
heyneke’s fondness for putting players he doesn’t honestly rate into these single-game no-win situations is an extremely poor man-managemnent weakness…
by meyer’s own admission it is fine for the ABs to have a ‘only’ (my quotes) “ten minutes of magic” (his quotes) per test… it is fine for morne to have no moments of magic in a game…
but lambie and juan must somehow conjure up magic every time they touch the ball in a very stifled, limited, fear-driven gameplan within which no individual creativity will be tolerated… or face a barrage of criticism that they are not good enough from journos and fans who demand immediate results from these young guys…
heyneke has shifted his goal posts from “winning every test being the only acceptable expectation” to “building for the world cup, building experience, building the brand” for heaven’s sake…
why are lambie and de jongh not afforded the luxury of the same “building” experience philosophy… why are they the only ones who must deliver immediate results…?
very unfair on them…
lambie must be patient… he has time on his side… i just hope john plumtree is not swayed by this caterwauling of media and fans and sticks to his guns and lets lambie play 10 for the sharks in super rugby… then lambie must simply produce the goods over the season and establish himself as the top flyhalf in south africa and make it impossible for anyone to ignore his claim for the bok 10 jersey…
20 Nov 2012, 06:58 am
I think the only person to blame for Lambie performance is the HM!!! His game plan has be developed for on player only and that is Steyn. Lambie is an attacking flyhalf and he has been told to play a certain way. I think it will be a crime to judge on these 3 performances on the this tour. I think the big test will be next year during the super rugby anyway. When all the top players are back and they competing againste each other. Then we will see how good Lambie is really. There are so many players in the team right now that are by far more of a concern than lambie. Let Lambie play his own game and see him dominate england!!!. Hougaard, Kirshner,CJ, and Tuate I think these guys are more of a concern in the team.
20 Nov 2012, 07:36 am
Lambie’s problem is not the game plan. Johan Goosen is a very attcking flyhalf and is at the moment first choice if fit. Yes, the territorial game is a big part of the game plan, but once in the 22m area he must attack. The biggest problem is Ruan Pienaar giving him slow ball and puts Lambie under pressure immediately. From there he has Jean de Villiers on his outside who never pass the ball. IMO Jean’s time is over as an international center. He might be one of the better centers in SA but not in world rugby. Play Hougie with Lambie and they will be a deadly combo.
20 Nov 2012, 07:46 am
Give Lambie his 40+ caps to get it right and send Jantjies home because they are wasting his time.
20 Nov 2012, 08:08 am
Why take Jantjies with if he never intended to play him? There are too many passengers on this tour. This whole ” give them a taste of the culture” is BS.
20 Nov 2012, 08:11 am
@ufo-3: Good post… Says it all.
20 Nov 2012, 08:13 am
@ufo-3:
Well said, sad but true.
HM speaks with forked tongue.
He’s morning, afternoon and evening talks all differ.
20 Nov 2012, 08:22 am
this is make or break for lambie @ 10!
With recently promoted flyhalf Johan
Goosen left out of the squad with injury,
Meyer has favoured upcoming star Patrick
Lambie to have a go.
“He is tried and tested at Super Rugby level
but I want to go forward with two flyhalves
from here and I want to use this
opportunity to see what Pat can do at this
level.”
i can tell you now the two flyhalves are goosen & msteyn klaar!
jantjies can maar make himself happy in cape town & have a jol setting the stormers backline on fire & forget Bok honours for now, same as chilli & de jongh.
20 Nov 2012, 08:25 am
Lambies problem is skill level…. IN super rugby, currie cup and bok test has never had 1 successful drop goal attempt. This from a so-called world class fly-half?
20 Nov 2012, 08:28 am
@Transformation-10: You are right here… Lambie should get comfortable doing the same…
Will be funny if both “rejects” land up steering their sides to the Super Rugby final and play against one another in said final… While the “first choices” watch from the sidelines…
20 Nov 2012, 08:28 am
If Lambie knows it’s make or break, he might as well disregard the instructions to play a game plan that does not suit him and play his own game.
Seems like he won’t have too much to lose and is in a catch 22 situation in any case.
First have to wait and see if he is indeed FH for Saturday
20 Nov 2012, 08:31 am
@LoanShark-11: “Lambies problem is skill level”….
Hysterical….Hee heee hee whooo whooo Haa haa haa
A skill level so “low” that he is good enough to have played at 10, 15 and 12 at Super Rugby level… and 10, 15 at International level…
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Chrissakes, posters on Keo can be first prize humour sometimes… Little gems everywhere…
20 Nov 2012, 08:34 am
One of the better flyhalf performances this year was in fact Dimitri in the Currie Cup final. His pass set up De Jongh’s try, his tatctical kicking was good and his drops off both feet took the game away from the Sharks. This was a complete flyhalf performance.
And please, I am not advocating that Dimitri becomes a Bok, just noting that we need a complete performance from our Bok flyhalves.
20 Nov 2012, 08:35 am
At least Lambie has been given an opportunity…..
Jantjes has been completely and totally shunned….
Pi sses me off man.
20 Nov 2012, 08:37 am
@Heavens Game-14: Lambie is fine and Meyer will back him. He made a few poor decisions,but his tactical kicking has been much better than Steyn’s kicking. Steyn has never been a good tactical kicker. Accurate, yes. Distance, yes. But the cross kick from Lambie and the little dab behind the Scottish line was brilliant and something Steyn never does.
20 Nov 2012, 08:38 am
I think Heyneke should play Morne against England.
With the type of game Heyneke is playing on this year-end tour, Morne would fair a lot better than Pat or Elton. Why try and make Pat play a game that does not come naturally to him? Rather play someone that is comfortable in the role.
20 Nov 2012, 08:38 am
@grant10-16: Ja dit is so onregverdig. Kom ons gee almal ‘n kans!
20 Nov 2012, 08:38 am
@Transformation-10: Super rugby next year is going to be a real passion killer for the Meyerolytes…..
Floppycocksyndromeallround for those who hang on to his ‘stars’: Spies, Morne and co…..(although may the rugby gods help us that these fellas remain out of form, because anything resembling form, will bring on a world of pain all round)
Sh y te gonna get real fast
20 Nov 2012, 08:39 am
@Heavens Game-14:
Patrick Lambie, 19 test, 0 Ties, 0 drops, 5 conv, 6 penalties….
Find me a International Fly-half with worst stats?
20 Nov 2012, 08:41 am
@Craven-18: Pat has the skills to play a tactical kicking game, but he offers more on attack. Some here think Meyer’s instructions are to kick all our ball away. The up and under just outside our 22 was a bad decision, influenced by Lambie’s current mental state. Meyer will not tell him to kick in their half. Pat just needs time in the current Bok team. His progression will be exponential.
20 Nov 2012, 08:42 am
Sorry progress
20 Nov 2012, 08:44 am
@LoanShark-21: Swak argument.
20 Nov 2012, 08:51 am
@LoanShark-21: Those 19 tests…. How many were at 10? How many were for a full 80 mins?
It seems your main measure of an International 10 is his ability to kick drop goals… This would preclude such poor FH’s as Lem Honiball, Larkham, the early DC…
Methinks you dont know what you talking about…
20 Nov 2012, 08:52 am
@Horings-17: And this coming from a Bulls supporter… Enlightening.
20 Nov 2012, 09:14 am
@LoanShark-21:
Played behind M Steyn the whole time buddy boy.
Get the stats on how many of those tests are at 15(non kicker) and coming off the bench at 10?
Some keo clowns on this site today.
20 Nov 2012, 09:15 am
@Horings-17: short memory…did you not see habana’s try in the 2nd half at Newlands vs Argentina? youtube it if you need to. msteyn has kicked thosr for bjorn basson before…
meyer will back goosen & his “warrior” msteyn.
20 Nov 2012, 09:18 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-20: tee hee hee @ ” Sh y te gonna get real fast”
i trust frans ludeke to stay fcukingclueless!
20 Nov 2012, 09:26 am
@LoanShark-21:
Here let me break it down for you.
Out of his 19 tests only 9 were starts. 6 were at FB in a non place kicking role. He started once before at FH against NZ in 2011 before the WC where we took a rookie side to NZ and got dicked.
The last 2 starts were at FH where he scored 22 of his 28 total points. (11 points in each game.)
Im sure you can see the trend here.
20 Nov 2012, 09:31 am
A flu half cannot be judged if they never get the ball. Alberts and Div receive more ball at first receiver. Basically, he is there to tackle and kick for poles.
Maybe the boks are still suffering a hangover from having a 10 that adds no value apart from kicking.
20 Nov 2012, 09:32 am
lambie is two from two when hes started this year
he should be given the 10 jersey until he loses
what happens if he wins 3/3 at 10 and then next year is replaced by goosen?
HM is sending out a ridiculous message to his players
have never seen such bad man management from an international coach in my life
20 Nov 2012, 09:34 am
@Heavens Game-8:
@nortierd-9:
shot guys…
@grant10-16:
you are right elton is included in this group… just can’t always rattle off every player being messed around in every post…
but yes… he was also only given an unfair one-game shot at stardom…
20 Nov 2012, 09:34 am
Flu = fly
20 Nov 2012, 09:37 am
I think Lambie is a very good player, but why the hell was his kicking so incredibly poor against Scotland?
Those up and unders almost came down right where he kicked them from, and his tactical long range kicks were more like short range kicks, to be honest.
No distance whatsoever.
He can do better than that.
20 Nov 2012, 09:41 am
@Tacitus-35:
agreed, he was a little disappointing with his kicking on sat
but i dont doubt he’ll come good, too good a player for this to be too much of an issue
being a good test flyhalf is more than just having a good kicking game
well, only in south africa is so much emphasis placed on kicking
it bores me
20 Nov 2012, 09:44 am
32….seriously, you should be well versed in poor manmanagement. Plumtree is king at that. Just ask frans steyn, pienaar and lambie everytime he gets moved to fullback or center. Or jp pieterson at 13, etc.
Tutut dont let your provincial bias cloud judgement. Ne.
20 Nov 2012, 09:48 am
@Transformation-29: Steyn will be their 10, Spies their captain and Potgieter and Potgieter on the flanks…
Ludeke doesn’t need to do a thing…. The cluelessness will come to the fore without the coach even getting out of bed 
20 Nov 2012, 09:49 am
All this talk about lambie is irrelevent anyway. Everyone knows goosen is better and is 1st choice when fit.
Everyone should be hoping this kid gets fit and avoids injury. The most exciting flyhalf talent i have seen sa produce in my lifetime.
20 Nov 2012, 09:49 am
Anybody thinking Steyn should EVER touch the bok FH jearsey has obviously forgotten how as in experienced international FH he butchered tries that any rugby player could finish based on pure instinct.
The man brings the whole level of the team down 50% and if he can’t kick then you can guarentee a loss to any team we play against.
Stey should go learn to play rugby again, the man is dead to me in terms of playing FH again, Goosen, Lambie or Jantjies should be ahead of him at this stage, then that is not even counting Pollard as junior who I would play ahead of this joker.
Lambie best option with Goosen to be eased in once he gets stronger, gets injured to easily.
20 Nov 2012, 09:51 am
Lambie this , Steyn that and nothing of Jantjies. Screw this **** , I am so sick and tired of this ****. I wish they make away with the Boks completely , I use to be a supporter of the Bok but less and less every day……I am just gatvol I guess
20 Nov 2012, 09:52 am
38..going to be priceless watching the bulls win next season
20 Nov 2012, 09:52 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-39: Goosen is at the moment a injury risk, he needs to build more muscle, or else he will have a very short career. First test season and has had two long term injuries? The kid is not ready for senior rugby.
20 Nov 2012, 09:53 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-42: Goodluck with that, your best shot is the group of players in your u/21 group, but that won’t matter, they will all leave like CJ Stander as they get ignored because lesser more greesier players get their shot week in week out.
20 Nov 2012, 09:54 am
@Craven-15: Maybe but he was way to inconsistent. If he can get that part right of his game then he might just be better than decent.
20 Nov 2012, 09:54 am
39. Physically wise…remember he got injured early in superrugby first. Mentally he is lightyears ahead if everyone.
20 Nov 2012, 09:56 am
@goodstuff-43: Amazing that a youngster like Goosen is deemed ready but Jantjies and the likes need time to ease in !
20 Nov 2012, 09:56 am
44….doubt it
20 Nov 2012, 09:58 am
@jacoshark-32: This coming Saturday is the last test of the year. Next year all the flyhalves can be judged on the same level in the S15, Goosen, Lambie, Steyn, Jantjies, Catrikilis, etc. Don’t get ahead of yourself, the test season only starts again in June 2013. And by then injuries will also have taken it’s toll and some candidates might injured.
20 Nov 2012, 09:58 am
@sparticus-41:
I feel so sorry for Jantjies.
I was pissed off when HM gave him the 5 minutes to get capped.
Stuffed him up royally there.
EJ should have gone abroad, played for 3 years in Ireland or Scotland and could have had a long international career.
Now he has a Bok cap and can’t qualify.
Very unfair IMO
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