Rumours coming from within the Bok camp suggest that Pat Lambie will start the second test of the Incoming Series against Scotland.
Coach Heyneke Meyer has indicated that he wants to make a few changes to the team that beat Italy at Kings Park this past weekend. One of the changes already confirmed will come at scrumhalf, where Jano Vermaak is not available for selection.
Many expected Ruan Pienaar to start against Italy but reports suggest that he was rested after a lengthy season with Ulster, which means he was set to start the second test even before Vermaak got injured.
Meyer went on to say that he has two flyhalves which he trusts to run the Springbok backline, and that he promised Lambie a start in the second test. Whether Meyer follows through with this promise after Morne Steyn’s impressive match remains to be seen.
Steyn played a brilliantly balanced match, kicking and playing the territory game when needed, forcing the Italians into mistakes which the Springboks capitalised on. He spread the ball once the match opened up a bit, getting the backline on the front foot and over the advantage line.
The big question is whether a change to allow Lambie a start is fair. While I am all for a rotation policy at this stage of the season, especially given the opposition, will it not break down any momentum built up in the last 15 minutes of the first test.
Yes Lambie will bring a more attacking game, but had the shoe been on the other foot, would the Lambie lovers have been happy to see Lambie dropped to the bench after such a performance. I didn’t think so.
Whether Lambie starts the match against Scotland can be debated at length until we see the team sheet on Wednesday, but be sure to expect a few changes to the team as Meyer tests different combinations before the start of the real rugby – The Rugby Championship.
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There is never another foot on this site about Lambie, you of all people should know this Rich 😀
Nothing wrong with a bit of rotation, besides he already said he has faith in both of them so then give both an equal chance to start as pivot. I’m not a blind follower of lambie btw, always loved freddy as our pivot, was the saddest moment when the frenchman decided to stay at home. I love lambie’s flare though or at least the flare he had last year ‘BH’ (before heneyke) he played well against the scots last year so wouldn’t be a bad move to start him again and then let steyn start in the ‘final’ against somao
I’m interested in seeing if he rotates the forwards. Think Trevor and Coenie should start.
@PTAShark (Comment 3) :
It would be interesting to see which ‘core’ players he retains and which others he rotates..
A little rotation won’t be bad if he is looking to get 2 pivots nice and settled but I would then start with Morne and give Lambie half an hour
@PTAShark (Comment 3) : Yeah, I love the fact that we have two very good front rows – an all sharks and all cheetahs front row going forward. It makes for easier rotation, which will not only keep our pack dominant but our players will be rested and less often injured.
@Stiko85 (Comment 2) : I would like to see what Lambie can do when his team dominates. He had to play under severe pressure for most of 2013. In fact, if not for his calm head, we may very well have lost one or two extra games.
Lol maybe he should leave jj out, damn boy buggered two quality tries up with his over excitement. Should bring mvovo in on the bench atleast and give him a good run on the field. Banana should stay in that team always lol, the man is sensational. I hope he doesn’t decide to bring kirshner in ahead of willie, willie will be brilliant in the ‘4 nations’ later this year, provided he gets to play more often in that position in this competition
Call me a purist, but I still believe a fh needs to be able to defend his channel 😈
What Heyneke says makes a lot of sense (not just because it is Lambie). HM feels Lambie proved himself as a candidate on last years eoyt and it’s good to see that he is willing to back the youngster.
I agree Morne had a good game and has been having a much better season than Lambie so far, but what if he gets injured or gets a dip in form again, then no other flyhalf will be ready to take his place, espacially if this happens during the 4 nations before a match against the all blacks.
Starting Lambie (or the second choice flyhalf) in a few games, makes a lot of sense and since heyneke didn’t say he’s dropping steyn, but rather that he wants to give both flyhalfs playing time, it would not only be fair, but smart for the building of this team. If possible, Serfontein should also get a little more game time (although when Frans Steyn is ready he may not be part of the matchday 23 anymore).
@King Shark (Comment 7) : well I have to agree with u there, pat’s greatest asset is his level headed approach to the game, the man is the spitting image of being calm in the the middle of a storm. Someone said earlier he needs a head doc to get rid of HM’s brain washing, HM brain washed him with something like this: be like steyn be like steyn, u will be like steyn… Now someone needs to say: be lambie be lambie, ur not steyn you won’t ever be, be lambie for apples sake!!
@Letgo (Comment 10) : couldn’t agree more with u on that one. Play them both often and ul have the best choice in fH selection come four nations
Love the idea of having an all Cheetah front row given a start. Having combinations like that is just an immense help given the little time the Boks have to prepare before tests these days!
That and Trevor is a Tzaneen boy, so I would love to see him get a start. You should have heard the cheers in my living room when he went on on Saturday!
@FireTheLooser (Comment 9) : Agreed . I’m resisting the urge to stir up a brouhaha. Instead ill annoy you all with my pretentious dialect. 😆
Please add an emotive ,like facebook has ,for :poop: .I will spam it anytime someone says Morne had a good game 😕
@FireTheLooser (Comment 9) : morne defended well he made his 2 takles he needed to make and i think he kicked well 😈
So did everyone go blind when Coenie came on at th? Our scrum resembled the 2010 Smit th experiment against Italy.
Why do they insist on moving Coenie to th, he was brilliant at lh and his open play made him a real threat for Beast’s starting position.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 16) : I know hey!!! I told my dad the same thing, da man sucks at TH, we scrummed better than the macaronis before he came on. Skoen at LH far better option
@FireTheLooser (Comment 16) : mate, there are certain players who are just given a phenomenal amount of leeway. It doesn’t matter how many bad games the likes of Coenie, Johan Goosen, Handre Pollard, Frans Steyn, etc have because they were marked as “special/x-factor/world class” at a young age, thus people don’t actually see them do anything wrong.
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Yet we are accused of being “Lambie lovers” for wanting him in the team. We haven’t been devoid of the ability to criticize him for playing Morné rugby. 🙄
Even Vermaak is receiving undue praise for what to my mind was a pretty underwhelming showing. 😐
Give credit where credit is due, but also don’t give credit just because the player has been marketed as some wunderkind. Sheesh, it’s very frustrating.
@sharks4eve2013 (Comment 15) : Except the one that lead to the Italian try
I don’t really think Steyn had that good of a game. His passing game was basic. The flair he had outside him had to make up for that. His kicking was good, no denying. His defense though, was pathetic. It was a missed tackle (one that I, an 80kg fullback could have made) by him that allowed the Italians to score. I am all for Lambie starting the next test, and even the third. I believe he is our flyhalf going forward.
@PTAShark (Comment 3) : Coenie really struggled at tight-head. I think stick with Jannie and MAYBE start Oosthuizen or Nyakane at 1.
I would also play Serfontein at 12 with Jean at 13. Bring in Mvovo at 11.
I am not keen on Pienaar starting. He takes the game into his own hands more than he has the right to. It made sense when the vastly inexperienced Goosen started at 10, to relieve pressure, but Lambie doesn’t need that anymore. The man has 21 caps, in addition to almost 50 SR appearances!
@Bokhoring (Comment 20) : I was just trying to stir with firethelooser and joking about morne never liked him and never will think his over rated in any case and he can’t takle
On a different subject, does anyone else feel that Samoa are just about due a promotion to 1st tier?
@David12246 (Comment 23) : At the expense of Scotland – definitely, they just need to work on their professionalism (less dirty play, they make Bakkies look like a saint) 😯
@sharks4eve2013 (Comment 22) : Yeah I got that one when you mentioned him making his quota of two tackles per game. 😆
@FireTheLooser (Comment 24) : on the subject of coennie i think he will do better if he gets a start at th don’t think he’s good as s impact player when he starts for fs his good of the bench not so good just something i picked up over the super rugby season
@sharks4eve2013 (Comment 25) : I am yet to see Coenie hold his own at th. Between him and Herbst, I know who’ll be my first choice.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 26) : Also prefer herbs before coennie don’t get me wrong just hope he gets a chance with HM at the helm just now we se old kruger from the bulls getying the nod cause he fits in HM game plan 😈
@sharks4eve2013 (Comment 25) : Not a fan of Coenie but he is a very good looshead, i don’t understand the need to move him to Tighthead.
We have Herbst ready to go and Malherbe that can be developed.
I’m a big lambie fan but I think heyneke has forced him to play differently as to the lambie that would run the ball a lot. In the super14 this year he kicked a lot more than previous years but I don’t think that is good for his game
I am going to try my best to get away from work to see the open training session tomorrow afternoon. Will be able to see who is running where then…
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 28) : I know you don’t have to convince me it’s HM that’s blind don’t understand way players need to move around when you got skilled players to fill that space
@FireTheLooser (Comment 24) : I was just thinking they should be added to the 10. Nobody is saying there may only be 10 members of the 1st tier. I think Scotland deserve to be 1st tier based on their performance in the 6 Nations. And I do see what you mean on discipline.
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Amen…add Pierre Spies to that list
Some promising play and promising players at our disposal…
The following is a list of those that are NOT promising and can do no wrong in coach’s eyes. I would not have them near the Bok team:
Steyn (both of them)
Alberts
Spies
Kruger
Coenie as a TH (but definately there as a LH)
Kirchner
Coetzee on this years form
Hougaard as #9
Players who should be there that arent: (in the squad or starting xv)
BRUSSOW
Herbst
Kanko (if he was playing)
Ludik if fit
Van Zyl should be ahead of Hougie
My team for the Rugby Championships:
1. Coenie
2. Strauss (C)
3. Du Plessis
4. PSDT
5. Etzebeth
6. Brussow
7. Vermeulen
8. Kankowski
9. Pienaar
10. Lambie
11. Mvovo/Basson
12. De Villiers
13. JJ
14. Habana
15. Willie le ROux
16. Bissie
17. Nyakane
18. Herbst
19. Flip
20. Flow
21. Vermaak/Van Zyl
22. Serfontein
23. Ludik
Interesting observation… There are some players that that somehow just have a ‘must’ guarantee in the national teams. In other words, before the coach takes over its almost like the say to him, this player must be in your squad. In our squad that guy is ruan pienaar. Since jake white till now he’s just that guy that springbok coaches feel they can’t go without
@Stiko85 (Comment 35) : These players are all probably part of the broederbond 😈
The reason we actually had some running go-forward ball was because Willie le Roux often played as first receiver during phase play.
@rhineshark (Comment 37) : Did you see Morné panic when he hit the gap on the 22, he didn’t know what happened and ended up throwing the ball away to no one 😆
@FireTheLooser (Comment 38) : 😆
I can imagine it must have been quite a shock to his system!