I feel for Jacques-Louis Potgieter. He has a mountain to climb this Sunday, perhaps more so than any of his team-mates. No doubt desperate to prove his worth to a somewhat sceptical and at times downright ornery fanbase, not only does he have to contend with taking on the formidable attacking force of the Crusaders but he has to fill the shoes of a man who is to the Sharks what Neo is to the Matrix, Annakin Skywalker is to Star Wars and Maximus is to the might of the Roman Empire… Patrick Lambie. SuperPat. Achilles in a No 10 shirt.
I say Achilles with a measured smile, because rather than it being his heel that proved a weakness, our collective “darling” has found putting a finger in the wrong place to be his (temporary) undoing, thereby giving JLP the opportunity to demonstrate exactly why Plum pulled out his chequebook all those months ago to tempt him from his foxhole at the Bulls…
It must have been hard for the older, more experienced man to leave his tenure in Pretoria with the promise of making his mark on the Sharks fly-half spot only to have it whipped away by a legend in the making before he’d even picked out a new bag to pack, let alone started folding his smalls!
He’s been stoic, training with dedication and gusto week after week, spending his match days warming a bench, hoping for as much game time as possible while watching the most exciting thing to happen in South African rugby in the last couple of decades blow the minds of all privileged enough to behold his incredible talent while at the same time blowing JLP’s chances of being anything other than a second choice…
Potgieter has become the proverbial “nearly” man of South African rugby through no fault of his own because the fates and destiny have decided that they have bigger plans for Patrick Lambie than any of us dare to realise. That’s a helluva load for one pair of shoulders to carry in itself. But now that load has doubled because JLP must stand up and be counted upon to save the day due to the fact that the finger of fate has now had a pin put in it!
There was much speculation when JLP joined the Sharks camp that he was not the right “sort” for the Black and White family. Words like “arrogant” and “disliked” were bandied around, and it took a great interview with our fearless Sharksworld leader to lead the way forward and quell the fears that Potgieter was out to oust SuperPat from a shirt which had all but been grafted to his back. By keeping his head down, doing the necessary is his short forays onto the pitch and giving Sharks management and fans a taste of a possible dynamic no-one had considered – Lambie and Potgieter playing amazing rugby together on the same field at the same time – JLP has quietly endeared himself and adapted to an evidently more supportive, and dare one say it “loving” rugby environment where no single member is more important than the team.
He seems to be enjoying his rugby, and the prospect of making a positive contribution, in whatever way he can, to the Sharks team. The competitive edge is there, but judging from what I have seen, JLP is as much in awe of SuperPat’s prodigious abilities as the rest of us, and probably knows that there is little point in trying to outshine the rising star of world rugby! So instead he is stepping up to the plate for the next few weeks, and taking the weight of our expectations onto his shoulders.
It’s a heavy burden, people. And one which is deserving of support. I have made no bones about the fact that I consider Patrick Lambie to be a Springbok captain in the making and perhaps the most exciting talent to grace the world’s rugby stage since bread started coming in slices. But Jacques-Louis Potgieter has earned my gratitude and respect and I for one wish him all the very best when he takes to the hallowed greens of Twickenham in the even more hallowed Black and White of the Sharks on Sunday.
I will be cheering him on. I hope you will all join me.
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Ornery.I need to remember that one.
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 1) : It’s a lovely word. One of my faves! 😛
If JLP manages to shine on Sunday, then all the doubters will be gone. You go boy! 😛
Let the record show that on this the 23rd day of March in the year 2011, Sharon van Wyk had something nice to say about an Affies boy.
If JLP pulls this one off on Sunday, he’ll have my respect. Go JLP, please prove me wrong!!
Thanks for another good article Sharon! I was one of those sceptical ones when Pottie signed but he has to get our full support, whether he performs miracles on Sunday or not. GO JLP!
@beet (Comment 4) : All I see is red and green, red and green, red and green… And I’d rather be a Pebble, than a rock at Affies High!
@war1 (Comment 6) : Thanks War1, appreciate the support! In both respects!
Jacques-Louis was deemed by me to be a mercenary and so far he has proven me wrong, he signed an extended contract with us, and has made Durban his home, he is an asset and we need to embrace him, he is one of us and he is out there to play for his team and his new fans… I back his technical ability and I back him, he will be in a test match environment and he will want to show that he can handle the pressure and expectation – this is what sport is all about, this is his biggest test of rugby character to date and he is praying I am sure that he delivers a good scorecard in return for his investment.
Go boy, make us love you!
Sharon – we are thinking wayyyy the same…yesterday when I put up the arti about Lambs being out – my thoughts were exactly that…huge pressure on JLP (no thanks to a lot of us supporters) – he needs to succeed to get the respect from fans (and myself) – as per comments above. Which surely in a way is really unfair on the person I still find hard to speak his name – because of pure brilliance on his side for that much loathed dropgoal. Take it into perspective – it was brilliant (not for us, for the Cheetahs) but the point is – he HAS the goods – perhaps this time it’s good that he is on OUR side!!
Good luck Jacques-Louis…we’ll be supporting you all the way! 😉
Can’t wait to see The Sharks in action on Sunday. What a treat! Got my tickets and am keeping my fingers crossed that the weather is all right. Shame about Patrick not playing but I have every confidence in Jacques-Louis making his mark on the team with a highly-professional and inspiring game. He is one of us and will get a great welcome from our section in the crowd. Go Sharks!
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 2) : my favourite use of it is when Robert Duval uses it in Days of Thunder to explain Tom Cruises behaviour to Nicole Kidman.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) : Great flick…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) : She should have taken notice, eh? He weren’t a lyin! Lesson No 1 – Never date men shorter than you are or who need a milk-crate just to give you a goodnight kiss…
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 15) : TG I never will have that problem! 😆
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 13) : best thing that came out of it was the Maria McKee song- Show me heaven!
@Ice (Comment 17) : The Days of Thunder OST was incredible:
Guns ‘n Roses: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Maria McKee: Show me Heaven
David Coverdale: The Last note of Freedom etc.
The movie was pretty cool too, nice cars and the sexiest I have ever seen Nicole Kidman – what with Cruise’s pit stop trick – what man wouldn’t smile?
@Ice (Comment 16) :
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 18) : I had to think about that for a while. Wasn’t it the bump draft trick?
Or did my mind engage neutral after the bump draft explanation and I missed any pit stop reference? 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : 😆 yeah it was a long time ago, I just thought it was pit stop… I wasn’t paying much attention to the words… 😉 (flashback)
JLP !!! JLP !!! JLP !!!
JLP will not let himself or the team down….. Or us, the supporters for that matter. The question is, will a solid performance be enough against the Saders? I have my doubts, because against them solid is more than often not enough. You need special, or spectacular performances by individuals to tip them. BUT GOOD LUCK JLP!!!!! GO DO YOURE THING MAN. 💡 Maybe a drop goal or three will come in handy 💡
He’s a class player. He is better than a lot of people think. Go JLP!!
JLP really impressed me first at the Bulls (way back before he shifted to FS) and then at FS and I was shocked that he moved back to the Bulls to play second string to MS. I had been hoping he would somehow make his way to the Sharks because I thought he would be a long term investment at FH.
Of course, that was before the emergence of the Lambie and you really have to feel for the poor guy. He signed on to the Sharks in the hopes that he would be the first choice FH only for Lambie to show he will be the best FH for the Boks post-isolation.
I still rate the guy and think he was an awesome ‘buy’ for the Sharks and think he will have a good future with the Sharks. He might only be backup but he can also cover inside centre so if Bosman gets injured he might get a regular start there.
As much as I like Bosman(and also think his arrival at the Sharks is long overdue), JLP is a more creative player and might be a better bet at inside centre when Lambie gets back.
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 7) : En dit van `n van Wyk nogal 😉
jlp had crap currie cup last year and is set to continue where he left off there.
I agree Megatron. He even changed his hair so he might not be recognised as that poor Bulls reserve last year.
Talking of underperforming Bulls – imagine if Spies had the brains and skills of SBW and we played him at 12. *DREAMS ON*
@rhineshark (Comment 29) : Simply imagine Spies had brains. 😈
And ball sense.
At the moment he’s 100kg of useless muscle. 😈
@McLovin (Comment 30) : Too true.
Remember the outsurance ad where he breaks down a wall going after car thieves. If that wall had arms, he’d have bounced off it. 😈
@McLovin (Comment 30) : Sort of like having Scooby-Doo as a guard dog. 😈
@Butchie34 (Comment 31) : Unfortunately I had the misfortune of seeing that ad.
That fake smile of his at the end seems like it took all of his brain power to execute.
Although when I first saw it I wasn’t sure whether he was smiling or having a stroke. 😈
Here’s a thought. If JLP is so good, why not phase him in at outside centre cos Oom Stefan’s sucking worse with each game.
@rhineshark (Comment 26) : A soutie with a boertjie naam and a son at Boys High!
@Butchie34 (Comment 31) : @McLovin (Comment 30) : @rhineshark (Comment 32) : You boys make me laugh… even more than brainless Bulls players! 😆
@McLovin (Comment 33) : Almost as bad as the Bryan Habana ads from the same “series”. In fact, the only great rugby player ads IMO are the Lays ones with Francois Pienaar… And that one where Schalk gets hit wiff a ball in the back of a small plane which then does a “Gods must be crazy” thang with two unsuspecting San chaps…
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 36) : Which brainless bulls players, the ones with three super 14 medals, or the ones without? 🙄
I’m having coffee with Jacques-Louis tomorrow night 🙂
@Greg (Comment 38) : touchy, are we? They’re just joking Mr Greg.
I really hope that lambie does not read this website.He is going to get one biiiiig head. 😆
He can get one by all means,just as long as it does not hinder his play.
@CapeShark (Comment 40) : Yeah? me too, actually! 😆
@robdylan (Comment 39) : Tell him to call for the ball when SBW isn`t looking . . . SBW loves the no look off-load! 😈
@Original Champion (Comment 43) : ja, I’m sure the oke is dying for me to give him advice about his game. 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 44) : Give him our best and tell him we are all rooting for him.
@Greg (Comment 38) :
@Honey Badger (Comment 41) : Like the day SuperPat gets sent to the Sin Bin (when I have sworn to enter a convent), the day he becomes big headed is the day I walk naked into a pride of hungry lions and shout “here kitty kitty!”.
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 47) : Which in retrospect I’ve almost done, actually, but not naked!
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 48) : A crap. Now you’ve gone and spoiled it for everybody.