The Real bok flyhalf contender

 So this weekend we just witnessed 3 bok contenders playin in the currie cup semi final who would be representing South Africa in the end of year to the British Isle. Ironically both games were played in the wet and muddy conditions which are very similar to what can be expected when the boks play up north.

Of the two matches and the three contenders of Steyn vs Lambie and Jantjies vs Catrikilis. Lambie to me was again the winner. Morne have been relegated out of the boks squad and didn't play in the last 2 test matches. One would think that he would come back stronger but it Lambie completely owned in all facets. Jantjies to me did well but failed hopeless in the kicking department.

I for one would be shocked and angry at Meyer if he selects either of these players ahead of Lambie. 

Kingcorm

Jantjies in fact failed worse than Morne Steyn did.   On the days play Catrakilis outplayed him - so in my book he is not an option at all.   Unfortunately the only flyhalfs we have re  Lambie and Goosen - and with Goosen out - I think Lambie is in fact our only option.   I don't know who should be the back up flyhalf - but on yesterdays performance it should not be Jantjies   

At least 50% of flyhalf success comes from a cool, competitive brain. Lambie has that, I believe.

 Lambie is pure class....pure class.

Hope HM and Saffex watched the semies.

 I would go so far as to say Lambie is twice the player Goosen is. Goosen threw the ball around with a Cheetahs team hell bent on running the ball. If it worked, they looked good, if it didnt they lost and more often than not the lost. 

There is no flyhalf in the country as good as Lambie but when will this be realised and the kid stop being messed about and just left to do his thing from 10..

 According to one fellow at our rugby circle he will get the #10 jersey when he changes his name to:

"Lampies"

Got a great laugh for the other fellows.....trust you do as well.

 Goosen and Lambie are by far our best flyhalfs. Goosen needs more physical conditioning to meet the physical demands of the game. I do think that Goosen is better than Lambie, and we saw some of his potential against Australia in Pretoria. Still we need 2 class flyhalfs, and then a 3rd to cover the bench when either Lambie or Goosen is injured. Regardless of who plays between Lambie or Goosen they are both allround players unlike many flyhlafs in South Africa

Lambie and Goosen are our two best. Unfortunately Goosen has been rushed. He should have stayed in the under 20 ranks where he could still be playing even next year. He is a serious talent and also posses a cool mind. Prodigious boot and ability to run the ball.

Its good to see folk realising at long last where Lambie's best position is. I hope snapster is getting it. Hahahhahahahaha

 I have been clammering on over the last couple of seasons that Lambie should start ahead of Steyn, our backline always seemed to suffer when Steyn was at the helm but once Lambie came on at 10 we started to score tries. 

I have to agree that we need to look ahead of just who will be our starting 15 but rather who will be our top 3 flyhalfs. The AB's have at least 3 quality flyhalfs they can call on to start for them. Our flyhalf stocks for the next 3 10 years looks really promising. We have lambie who is only 22, Goosen 20 and then young Pollard at 17 who has a lot of potential. 

But I think that we are really blessed to have two quality flyhalfs in Goosen and Lambie. 

AJ there is no doubting Lambie's class and he could easily make the Bok 10 spot his own, but eveyone seems to miss my point on this. We dont need Lambie at 10, when we have Goosen there as an option.

We dont have any class 15's as options other than Lambie - therefore the solution is to play Lambie at 15 and Goosen at 10, its that simple

to be fair from what we have seen and with the future in mind lambie really needs to be given the chance at 10. i have never rated jantjies more for his lack of compusure under pressure. goosen and lambie tend to excel in tough match situations where by jantjies tend to become erratic and unpredictable. nothing wrong with jantjies skillset his problem is more mental than skills. at the top level the mental side of the game is more important due to players being very close in terms of skills. i hope meyer gives lambie a extended shot and allows him to play as he sees it and not a dogged down overcoached role. he enjoys the freedom to play and he must be allowed to play it as he sees it.

 Agree that the box need a quality 15, but the most key position in the starting is 10 and if we only have one world class 10 in Goosen, we end up risking winning games when Goosen is injured. These guys will have to fight it out, but it would be a great debate to decide which one to leave out when we are winning. 

I think that there are some potential 15's out there that can do the job well for the boks. Aplon might be a bit small but he has the heart to take on big players. Then there is Ludik who has had a great season to date. He has really stepped up in the play-off games in both Super and Currie Cup games. Ludik  to me has the both the height and bulk added with pace to make a good 15 for the boks. He seems to also have found an attacking edge. 

The boks need to build depth in all positions and not just find the starting 15's. 

I stillthink that we need  at least two flyhalfs of choice and in that event the answer remains Goosen and Lambie..

Insofar as 15 is concerned - I really believe we have three options.   I believe that Taute and Ludick are the top two options - with Francois Steyn being the third option if he keeps on failing as a center.  Taute started off his Super 15 career as a full-back and Steyn his CC career in that position as well.   Taute was exceptional as a full back and so was Steyn.   At this stage the class full back on CC level and in Super 15 is in fact Ludick.   

Insofar as Goosen andLlambie are concerned I would like to see one in the starting line up and the other rather on the bench and give each one adequate playing time.   Say if Lambie starts - he should play 50 minutes - whereafter Goosen can take over.   The same being the case vice-versa.

i agree mike...in taute, ludik and steyn one can have the type of cover one needs to be sure of decent players to at least do a decent job...i feel taute can be more than just ordinary but he needs time to develop into that role at 15. he is not a center sorry to say.

in goosen and lambie and if all else fails jantjies we can build a tripod of players that can at least fill each other boots and wont upset the cohesion if the one replaces the other. where goosen and lambie gives that edge jantjies gives you that what you want in terms of a decent kicker that takes the ball up flat. cant really ask for more than that..

We have two flyhalves in Goosen and Jantjies.

At 15 we have Lambie and Ludik

Get it into your heads that Taute will challenge for 13 and Frans Steyn will never play 15 again. With Jean a hasbeen, Frans is the only real contender for 12.

Players like F.Venter, Whitehead and Serfontein are great prospects at 12, but Frans is king

Saffex

Jantjies is no bloody international flyhalf - the sooner you realize that he is no better than Earl Rose was - the better it will be for your peace of mind.   Don't move players around because you want a position for a nincumpoop like Jantjies.

Francois Steyn has a huge amount of improvement to do at 12 - before he can even be considered as a decent choice for center.   He cannot be played on reputation he built up prior to this year and has a lot to prove in Super 15 next year before he an be onsidered for center selection next year.   I hope he does in fact improve - we desperately need him as a center.  

As for Taute - I still believe he may be more effective at full back - he was much more effective when he played at full back for the  Lions than he was at center.   But then he played center outside Jantjies and could not possibly do anything under those circumstances.  I still think he has potential - but am not sure whether he would make the grade at center - might be much better at full back.

Mike as per usual you are speaking complete and utter kak. Jantjies is a test standard 10, Frans has stuff all to learn at 12, has been around for ages and is a class act. Other than JP, Frans has been by far our best back under Meyer

Taute would be wasted at 15, his spot is 13 where he is playing now for Lions and Boks - you get the picture?

I am so looking forward to Jantjies playing for the Stormers and making you clowns eat your words next year

 Flyhalf is the key position on the rugby field, it is the general. We need at least 2 top quality flyhalfs to cover injuries. Also a 3rd backup flyhalf who at this stage I am not sure exists. (Morne or Jantjies).

A scrum half can also be the key decision maker at times, as was the case with Ruan Piennar when Goosen and Earl was playing but it is better the make key decisions from the flyhalf spot as there is more time, space and options (ask Francoius Hougaard who allways gets his kicks charged down when playing at scrumhalf). 

1. Goosen(when not injured). Top Choice

2. Lambie (2nd choice when Goosen available). However given the amount of injuries players sustain this could be 50% of the time. 

We have lots of players can that can play fullback. Wings and fullbacks

1. Aplon (maybe getting on in years, but will probably still have the required pace come next world cup.

2. JP Pieterson- played very well at bok level and for the Sharks in Superxv at fullback. Could be lethal on the counter attack dovetailing with Habana. 

3. Habana- experience on both wings, and outside center. He is better under the high ball than any player in World Rugby, has a kick for touch finders to relieve pressure.

And on the counter attack he may the best in the world? What about Habana entering the backline at pace with either Lamb or Goose at 10?

4. Even Bok kirchner has played ok, but not my starting 15 by any stretch of distance

We have much more depth at wing and fullback to have plenty of cover for fulllback than flyhalf

We have major depth issues at flyhalf so much better Lambie focusses at 10. Also I am not sure Lambie has the out and out pace to be an outside back. He is not slow by any means, but he does not have blistering pace either. Better decision maker than finisher, although he is good at both.

 Goosen needs to prove he can stay healthy for any length of time before he is considered the incumbent. Lambie deserves a shot while Goosen is out hurt and if he wins the position, so be it. 

10 is of so much more importance than 15 it would be good to have depth there.

 To think that the baby boks selected Lambie at 15 and Jantjies at 10 and Lambie is by far the better 10. I wonder if the baby boks would have done better if Lambie played at 10. 

Aplon to me is not a 15 but more a winger. His one on one tackles at the back is extremely poor. Ioni skinned Aplon last year and he got beaten by Dag and Guildford . 

I think that Tauta has the opportunity to make the 15 Jumper his own. We have some great centres coming through. I would be really surprised if jordaan and whitehead doesn't get selected for the end of year tour.