Springbok backline coach Ricardo Loubscher feels Pat Lambie’s future in the Springbok team lies in the flyhalf position.
Sport24
The 21-year-old played fullback for the Boks at last year’s World Cup in New Zealand but has been mainly used at flyhalf by the Sharks in Super Rugby this year.
“I would say flyhalf is his best position. Pat took the right decisions under pressure at the Sharks and that’s what you expect from a flyhalf,” Loubscher told Die Burger.
However, with Zane Kirchner likely to start at fullback and Morné Steyn the incumbent at flyhalf, Lambie looks set for a bench role against the English in the upcoming three-Test series.
But Loubscher also didn’t rule out the possibility of Lambie featuring at fullback in future.
“It depends on what you need on the day. They (Lambie and Kirchner) have different strong points.”
Loubscher also feels captain Jean de Villiers fits perfectly into the outside centre berth for the Springbok game plan.
“I prefer Jean at outside centre due to the way we play. If you play direct rugby, your inside centre can get you over the advantage line. Then, when the ball goes wide, you’ll have your best decision maker at outside centre.
“Frans Steyn is for me the best at inside centre because you then effectively have two flyhalves. Then we’re also in a position to have good decision makers and tactical kickers at flyhalf and inside centre,” said Loubscher.
SuperSport
Zane Kirchner’s probable selection as the starting fullback ahead of Patrick Lambie when the Springbok team for the first test against England is announced at lunchtime on Wednesday will be directed around the style of play new coach Heyneke Meyer wants for the initial part of his tenure.
The open session held at a local school on Monday sent out a clear message to those who hadn’t already been listening to Meyer talk at press conferences or public engagements – the Springboks will be starting this era with the clear objective of playing what used to be known as ‘subdue and penetrate’ rugby.
“You have to earn the right to go wide,” said new backline coach Ricardo Loubscher.
And he repeated the statement several times, as if to emphasise it.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that we are going to play direct rugby. In other words we will be running at their No 10 and No 12 channels and trying to get across the gainline and setting up our attacks from there. We need to get the ball in behind their forwards, and then that is when we play.
“It is not true to say that the wings won’t be getting the ball. They will hopefully be getting the ball after we have succeeded in getting in behind the opposition and reduced their defence to disarray. Then the wings have a very important role to play. And of course they also have a massive role to play in chasing the kicks.”
It’s a different message from the at-times confusing one that came out at the start of the previous era under Peter de Villiers, when the impression was created that the Boks would be going out to reinvent the game and run the ball from everywhere (though this didn’t happen in the first test against Wales in Bloemfontein and something may just have been lost in translation).
Back then the critics were using the “you have to earn the right to go wide” cliché as a reminder to the Boks of what they should be doing, particularly later in the season, when they appeared to lose all structure at times during a failed Tri-Nations campaign.
Not everyone will like this, but kicking is going to be a big part of the Bok game going forward, as indeed it was in the last three and a bit years of the De Villiers tenure, and the kick attack is going to be a big focus for the team.
Particularly in the initial part of Meyer’s reign, when he will be handicapped by having had so little time to prepare his team, you might find that the Boks are almost ultra-conservative – which is where Kirchner comes in.
“Zane and Patrick Lambie are two different kinds of players and the selection might be directed around what the one gives ahead of the other for the specific challenge we face in this game,” said Loubscher.
“We have to select a 22 first, and then a starting team. Zane is strong under the high ball, he has a very good kicking game. Lambie brings something different. He brings a bit of X-factor. It depends on what we need on the day.”
Given the way the shadow Bok team lined up on Monday, the high-ball safety net and the kicking game is what the Boks will require at Kings Park on Saturday, with Kirchner running nearly the entire session at fullback.
This may differ from the view of the head coach, but the backline coach gave a half hint that he might see Lambie as more of a flyhalf than a fullback, or a flyhalf who could play fullback.
“Lambie is a good decision maker and that is what you need from a flyhalf. I do think he is good in that position. But he can play well at fullback too and he and Zane are both class players who bring different strengths.”
With the likes of Steyn, Goosen, and possibly Jantjies at fly half, and Kirchner and Taute at full back, we’ll be lucky to see Pat Lambie even warm the bench in the future under Heyneke Meyers tenure, I fear. Another Brent Russell? I truly hope this is not the case, as the kid has so much talent.
Think you are being way too negative with the headline unless it is tongue in cheek. Of course Lambie will play for the Boks again in fact am sure he will make an appearance from the bench! Going ahead he will get chance as players form varies and even as it says in this article game plan varies and not forgetting injuries to others. Morne Steyn has been played into the ground so could rest end of year tour which can give the likes of Lambie golden boy Goosen etc ample chance to play.
I cannot understand all the negativity abouy the Boks at this stage, its test week already and time to get behind the Boks whether folk are happy with selections or not! England are the tourists and they should be feeling the heat, suggest media should play its part in upping the pressure on them starting with their captain. I think Chris Robshaw is a very good player and ha shown he can be an inspirational leader BUT my impression from watching him in 6 nations is that he can get a bit hot under the collar and get involved in scuffles. This is the kind of stuff the SA media should look at highlighting go find the footage of the times his hard robust play went over the mark, he is the man who has to get on with the ref on the field so maybe try and ‘unsettle’ things from that angle, question his ability to lead properly lead his team when the opposition is getting under his skin…
@ Bullscot:
Sorry about all the errors in the posts been trying to get by with touch screen this side and still a bit clumsy with it.
2@ Bullscot:
meant to say am sure Lambie will make an appearance from the bench this coming weekend
Actually never read past the heading because it is a load off utter rubbish. YOUR heading is misleading. Lambie for that matter HAS played Springbok rugby and at the highest level. HE played for the Boks at fb at a WORLD CUP. Why you on Lambie’s case AGAIN Kickers? What is the point you trying to prove here?
Sure it should be Lambie to start this Saturday and there seems to be excuses that Meyer sees him as fb and the backline coach sees him as a fh. BUT he is far, far to great a player to sit behind a very ordinary one. He will prove it once he gets on the field on Saturday.
I doubt Meyer will just let Lambie sit on the bench just waiting for a players to pick up a injury. He will get a chance to come on. I have no doubt about it. Especially that this is his home ground, Meyer will have thought about that. Even if it is for 15min he will get a chance to play.
People talking about Zane so great under the high ball, well Lambie is even better. So really not sure what this backline coach is on about.
My feeling is that Lambie covers 10/12/15 could be the reason he is on the bench. Zane only covers 15. Also think that the Bulls 9/10 and 15 have played this whole season together and probably know their game well.
Anyhow disappointed in that daft heading. Bloody stupid if you ask me. So damn misleading.
I personally think you want to talk about WHY your players never made it and NOW using Lambie as your scapegoat? I am right am I not Kickers?
Now out of here, have no time to read utter rubbish.
Just a little question to relieve the tension: we win a turnover in our own 25 and England’s defence is in disarray. Have we earned the right to go wide?
@ Puma:
Hello Puma agree Lambie will play for Boks, to be fair the header has an “I hope I am wrong” suggesting JFK does want him to play and also in post goes on to say Lambie has loads of talent, so dont its suggesting Lambie is no good rather expressing frustration with the system that has him now a utility player. My gripe is based on the amount of negative articles in various places about the Boks, there may be a time and place for expressing ones unhappiness but certainly don’t think now is the time its the build up week to first test they should be getting support at this stage.
9@ fender:Obelix, you understand nothing about the master plan.
The player to give the ball to Zane has to kick an up & under. 
Fark, I’ve gone and changed Kickers’ headline to be softer… don’t rightly know what all the fuss was about!
10 @ Bullscot:
Yeah… the negativity is astounding… not 1 minute has been played under Heyneke and bar maybe one unexpected choice (Kirchner at Fullback in place of Lambie), this will be the run-on side most level headed Springbok supporters would have chosen anyway, injuries considering.
The unhappiness seems to be about certain players who are in the group of 32… but damn man, only 22 will be in the squad for Saturday, so 10 players are fringe players anyway!
With Heyneke having planned all along to play Frans Steyn at Inside Centre and Jean de Villiers at Outside Centre…. how much game time, if ANY would Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon have seen anyway?
With Heyneke planning to use Marcell Coetzee as a bigger ball-carrying Openside Flank (as opposed to a true “Fetcher” type of opensider), what sense is there for Brussow in the 32. That is Heyneke’s vision to counter the big ball-carrying English pack and the way the Law Interpretations are now handled… we have to accept that that is his planning, thinking… and his discretion excercised!
I would have had Brussow in my squad, because I still believe in “Fetchers” and believe in true balance in a loosie combination, but hey, that’s me… and Heyneke feels differently…. and he has the right to feel differently!
Our front row will be like EVERYBODY expects it to be.
Our locks will still be the 3 best available, injuries considering.
Our loosies will consist of 2 Sharks and 1 Bull… and I am happy with the 3 of them.
Our halfback combination will the one we all expected…. Hougie & Morné, so I don’t know what the whoo haaa is all about
Our Centres will be Fransie Steyn & Jean de Villiers. Most would have had them start like that anyway… I would have!
Wings will be no surprise either, Habana and JP Pietersen…. as most would have chosen anyway
Fullback will be Kirchner maybe… with Lambie on the bench (maybe due to more versatility off the bench)… OK, this one I would have started with Lambie.
But heck folks, 5 Bulls, 7 Sharks, 3 Stormers in the starting 15 is not shabby, it does not speak of any provincial bias… it is just 14 or 15 out of 15 best Starting Bokke, no more, no less!
Ek wil in my broek kak as die rugby ongeletterdes net fokken skree en kerm omdat skree en kerm nou in hulle gemoed opvlam! Fok hulle man!
Gooooooooooo Bokke!
Goooooooo Heyneke!
@ grootblousmile: Agree. Brussow and Aplon surprises for me, but I am sure Meyer (and Rassie) has done their homework. Give HM a chance people!
I see Dan Cole recons he is ready for Beast. Typical Pommie talk. That is why I hate loosing to those clowns – bad losers, worse winners.
Fark, Puma, you really have to wake up and smell the roses. Read the story again, read my first comment, and lighten up, man. I am Lambies biggest supporter. And don’t go twisting it other ways. The advert I mentioned on a previous thread had nothing to do with Lambie, or his style of play. Hell it was not about him at all. It was taking a light hearted sideswipe at the people who made the advert. In these two articles I came across – please note, here they were written from an interview with Loubscher, not me – Loubscher talks about the fact that for HIM, not ME, he is a fly half, not a full back. Now take careful note here, Puma, and read this very carefully, there is a good chance (I am not saying a definite chance, but a good chance) that HM will use Steyn at F/H, so Lambie will be picking up splinters there. If he’s not seen as a fullback, then he’ll be picking up splinters there. He will become a bench man, and he is better than that. And I’ll say it again, Will he become another Brent Russell. I truly hope this is not the case, as the kid has so much talent.
@ Bullscot:Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. He will become a utility player. For me, he is the best fly half we have at the moment. He reads the game better than anyone in his position in SA, again in my opinion, and therefore such a shame that he may be surplus to requirements.
I also inserted a pic of Loubscher, trying to bring out the point that this article was about his views.
@ Puma:
You’re getting way too emotional and losing your ability to reason mate. I think if you calm down you will realise that you have totally misinterpreted Kickers opinion. Unfortunately you have got the idea that Kickers is anti Lambie because, and here I have to take some blame, we have been teasing Kickers that he mustn’t say negative things about Lambie or you will be upset. It was just good natured joking mate. Didn’t realise you were going to take it so seriously.
The reality is that Kickers, and I think many guys on the site, feel that Lambie should feature in the run on team. Kickers was just expressing a fear which I agree with, that HM and his team don’t see Lambie as first choice and would only pick him on the bench as a utility player or if their more preferred players were ruled out because of injury.
@ Puma:
Puma take that black and white sunglasses of a bit, Zane played to great distinction for the Boks wherever he was used, remember the hoohaa when he played at center last year, if my memory is good it was against some of the very best in the world, a stop gap measure but still there is nothing wrong with the boy.
grootblousmile wrote:
Sis man , if i am JFK i will never post again, where is freedom of speech. GBS you must not do this eish my friend , the more i see you in action the more i see the Voldy accusations are true(you know what they said and you know why many left here). Wie probeer jy please? Hierdie is mos n besprekings forum, wil jy ons almal napraters maak?
17@ superBul:
+1
17 @ superBul:
Jy kan loop skyt man!
Ek please niemand nie… ek doen wat nodig is
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