Lambie better at 15?

The Sharks have played a lot of matches this S15.....and so far their backline is toothless. Steyn has borne some of the blame. But isn't the problem more likely to rest with Lambie?

Face it, what we have admired him for in the past.....running onto the ball, low open field tackling and fine line  kicking, is perhaps more applicable to a fullback. Running in traffic, stopping the offload and good tactical kicking, which we want from a 10, seems to elude him.

A few authoratative matches at 10, sparking the pathetically moribund Shark's backline,  may change my mind.....but for the moment Lambie, like Steyn, looks more like a fullback.

Mozart

With respect "running onto the ball" is an absolute essential for any flyhalf, who should receive passes while already moving forward.   Our main problem in SA is that our flyhalfs normally stand very near to dead still when they receive the ball and then have to start something.   That is why flyhalfs like Morne Steyn are worthless from an attacking perspective.

I would not say the above quotation actually is a problem in the case of  Lambie - what is more problematic is his tendency too kick balls away - sometimes aimlessly - and that does have a detrimental affect on backline performances.   The other aspects mentioned by you are not really a problem as much as you make it out to be.  A player can only off-load balls when there are players to off-load balls to.   I have noticd on a number of occsassions that when Lambie did run in traffic,  the 12 was missing completely and the Loosies too far back to receive balls.   That normally resulted in crash ball situations.

Lambie is no doubt a good full back - but at this stage I think he prefers to play at flyhalf and will get better in that position if he has the support of other players in the backline. 

 Oom Maaik, running onto the ball refers to a player receiving the ball at pace, quite different to a flyhalfs regular forward movement. Get with it.

Running onto a ball is what a good flyhalf should do - not stand still ad then start moving after receipt of the ball - as per eample Morne Steyn.   Get it? 

 South Africa has issues with depth at flyhalf and inside center. 

We have lots of players, just not that many of SuperXV or international standard.

Unlike a position like looseforward where we may have more depth than the rest of the world put together.

So, putting Lambie at fullback, he probably is a better 15 than a 10. 

But without Goosen who is by far our best 10, who is next? (Morne, Jantjies......)

Concerning sharks backline they don't seem to have a sense of agility with a change of velocity with different directional plays. There has been debatable statements made about Steyn whether hes responsible although it became evident hes not due to his absence. The situation with Lambie isn't ideal, hes the playmaker so if he does not play with flair in attack neither will anyone else in the backline because Lambie is supposed to coordinate the set plays with different elements which he doesn't. Lambie is overrated, him making a transition to fullback 15 could solve the issue to a exent. however he has had a poor effort at fullback before. I don't think it will benefit the sharks either way, he will be under more pressure at fullback. 

If Goosen had been fit, Lambie at 15 would have been an obvious choice as I have always said. But without Goosen, we have to have Lambie at 10, for there is no way we can play Morne at 10 unless we dont want to progress on last years performance.

Lambie has not been dynamic this year, he has been solid at best, solid is not good enough. But then again, he is not alone, the Sharks in general have been poor and their side today in particular the backline is piss, piss poor.

given the zero attacking impact that lambie has had all year, i wouldnt be surprised to see meyer stick with morne whose form has improved in 2013 compared to 2012.
this also means that lambie will be either on target for the 15, or backup to morne.

i really get the feeling that this is where meyer will go given the performances of SAs flyhalves. i dont believe that meyer will gamble & try caterkilis or the promising burton, instead he will look to cover the No10 with morne/lambie/pienaar.

So are the Sharks missing Michalak? It would appear so and young Lambie needs to bring it today.

Oom Maaik you obviously haven't seen or registered a cut onto the ball at pace. Look at this video of the magnificent Joff Roff and you will see one at minute 1.08. The Key here is Roff cuts in from his wing, and is a good 10 metres behind the move, but flying. Stop the video at 1.08 to see how far he is behind the line.....this is like stretching the bow. As the move hits the tackling line and loses pace, the pop to Roff at pace cuts the defence to shreds. Watch and learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH75VgS3Vro

Mozart

The most elementary thing taught to players at flyhalf at primary school level is how to be how to run before they receive the pass and when they receive the ball.  Not catching balls kicked at thrm on the run - that is also an acceptd norm.  Nobody wants a flyhalf to run at full pace before h gets the ball - but they should be running and not standing still waiting for the ball to be passed to them.  

Donder Maaik it's hard to find your brain. Nobody is denying flyhalves should do that. I have a picture of myself playing a curtain raiser to a match at Newlands,  at 10 running onto a pass thrown way ahead of me. Believe me, I get it.

That's not the same thing as accelerating the line with a player entering at full pace.