10 - Patrick Lambie (Sharks):
Outplayed Bok rival Johan Goosen on the day, even though Goosen had a good second half.
Bubbling under: Morné Steyn (Bulls)
The fly in so many ointments is the guy who is bubbling under. Frankly I think Morne deserved to just edge Lambie, mostly because of degree of difficulty. One can't help but be excited about Goosen, but those kick offs in the first half were just terrible.
Morne is the worst backline attacking flyhalf in the world and his strategic kicking really is the pits. You prefer Morne - I think everyone but you would never support a one-dimensional player that succeeded where he failed badly - his kicking at goal. He cannot get a backline moving since he stands so deep in the pocket - he might as well be in the carpark. Morne is not a flyhalf ass - he can fulfil properly about 50% of the functions of a flyhalf - incapable of doing the rest of the job.
His strategic kicking "is the pits".....well what a joke we have here Mike. What happened to your objectivity? You are only objective if the facts agree with your facts? Every report I have read of last week's game said Steyn's tactical kicking was excellent.
No I actually would play Lambie at this point. If you recall Lambie was my pick for the SA player who would make the biggest splash this year. But I'm honest enough to report, on the day, Steyn was excellent!
Morne Steyn can play behind a dominant pack where a predominantly kicking gameplan can win matches.
Morne must play behind a pack that is dominating the set pieces. (scrums, lineouts, kickoffs)- and penalties and free kicks
What Morne (has never and will never do)- is what Goosen did on Saterday, namely be dominant behind a losing pack.
Goosen played behind a pack that was getting smashed but still outshone Lambie in the 2nd half.
I think for the match as a whole it is fair on the day to say that Lambie got the upperhand, but then Goosen should be bubbling under(for his 2nd half performance) Not Morne.
- Goosen allmost scored a try, then had a 2nd good oppertunity with a chip and chase that allmost went to hand. He made a cover tackle from behind that stopped a potential try. He setup the Sadie try by pulling out the Sharks defence. He was the link in the high tempo fast passing game.
Goosen is a very exciting player....probably the fastest 10 on the planet. My concerns are upstairs. His kick offs in the first half put the Sharks under no pressure and one went out on the full. His tactical kicking was poor and his goal kicking as well.
Once the Cheetahs were in a run and be damned mode, his talents came to the fore....although he made no clean breaks and beat no defenders....he turned over the ball 3 times:
FH Goosen 0/1 7 9/30/8 36 0 0 0 3 8/1 1/0 1 0/0
The question remains whether at this stage he has the mental solidity to hang in there in a closely fought big test. That was never a question with Lambie's general play....but in goal kicking his early Bok efforts were also very nervy.
I couldn't pick Goosen over Steyn on the weekend, which is not to say Goosen wont come into his own.
It irritates me that a player gets selected for teamof the week when he adds nothing other than kicking to the game.
Lambie and Goosen were better than Morne. That is as good as Morne gets and that can best be described as solid.
Morne got Bulls MOM, which is nonsense - that should have gone to Morne Mellett the impressive young Bulls loosehead
Moz.
The "upstairs" stuff has a way of sorting itself out by growing and maturing as a rugby player. To grow and mature you have to play in those key situations. You may also have to lose a few times in those key situations to grow and mature "upstairs".
I thought Morne played a very good game. His tactical kicking, and kicking for posts was spot on all night. Where was that last year? Lambie and Goosen were slighlty better though. Those two are damn good rugby players.
