Lions 2012

[Lee Grant]

Taute is an outstanding attacking talent - no doubt about it.

The rest of his play does not compare to Lambie's and let's face it: half the time the other team has the ball.

 

[qwerty51]

Taute is an outstanding attacking talent - no doubt about it.

The rest of his play does not compare to Lambie's and let's face it: half the time the other team has the ball.

Defense only right? Because Taute also has a massive boot on him. A lot of the Lions players have improved their defences, they held WP and the Sharks to limited points in both finals.

 

[PaarlBok]

I'd say Lampie is more a playmaker and Taute more line breaker type of back. Expecting them to end up in the positions they play last year at the U20 WC. Lambie15, Taute13 & Jantjies10. We do have a problem coming up, Johan Goosen already outplayed Sias Ebersohn for the Tin Ears 10. Taute dont need to pull up his socks, he's trade mark. I'd like to see him have a go in 10, think he'll be deadly in this position.

 

[qwerty51]

Is he trying to impersonate Latham on purpose? Because every thing about him screams Latho. The broken field running, huge boot, huge legs, socks down etc..

 

[PaarlBok]

Is he trying to impersonate Latham on purpose? Because every thing about him screams Latho. The broken field running, huge boot, huge legs, socks down etc..

Now that you mention that, wont mind him to reach Lathams heights.

 

[PaarlBok]

A Rapport special article on John Mitchell for the Saffers
http://www.rapport.co.za/Rubrieke/HanlieRetief/Hanlie-gesels-met-John-Mitchell-20111105

Dont want to use the translator.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

Adding too the debate before. Tatue is probably my favorite Lions player, I reckon he will be pushing for the boks #15 jersey at the end of the season.

Lambie is awesome, but he has good competition for the #15 jersey.


edit: Abstract of Paarl's article translated:

It's home. That's how John Mitchell of South Africa feel. He is going to permanently settle, says the top coach not stop talking about the jacarandas which is so beautiful flower in Johannesburg.

Mitchell was judged South Africa coach of the year. He laughs now good for his pals in Perth who thought he was crazy for that ambulansjop to accept a losing team in a stadium in Jo'burg's backside you about a need to guard the safe stadionhekke to come ...

Now, after sixteen months of this blood under Mitchell, the Lions Currie Cup champions, named team of the year with their ex-bearded Josh Strauss the Currie Cup player of the year. "It's awesome here! Beautiful! "He talked on the Cape airport while the umpteenth guy with him shake hands. "It's all so rugby mad like me, no wonder I feel so at home.

 

[Blue]

Adding too the debate before. Tatue is probably my favorite Lions player, I reckon he will be pushing for the boks #15 jersey at the end of the season.

Lambie is awesome, but he has good competition for the #15 jersey.


edit: Abstract of Paarl's article translated:

Taute's problem is he doesn't seem to think tackling is in his job description and when he fleetingly thinks it is, he isn't very good at it.

Lambie is an incredible defender so Taute will need one HELL of a season to upstage Pat.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

True. I probably don't see the Lions enough to notice his major weakness's. Lambie is a good defender and sets the bar high.

 

[Brisbok]

Is Lambie definitely going to stay at Fullback though? Perhaps the best thing for Springbok rugby would be for him to specialise at fullback and make that position his own. However, Plumtree seems to see him as a flyhalf (not a bad thing IMO so long as he stays there) and I can see him spending most of his time there during Super Rugby, particularly if Michalak heads back to France as it has been reported. What other alternatives do the Sharks have at flyhalf? (yes, I realise I am probably posting this on the wrong thread!)

 

[PaarlBok]

Is Lambie definitely going to stay at Fullback though? Perhaps the best thing for Springbok rugby would be for him to specialise at fullback and make that position his own. However, Plumtree seems to see him as a flyhalf (not a bad thing IMO so long as he stays there) and I can see him spending most of his time there during Super Rugby, particularly if Michalak heads back to France as it has been reported. What other alternatives do the Sharks have at flyhalf? (yes, I realise I am probably posting this on the wrong thread!)

JL Potgieter and Bosman.

 

[Brisbok]

JL Potgieter and Bosman.

Exactly my point boet, these two are nowhere near Super Rugby quality Flyhalf's. If the Sharks hope to finish above the bottom 5 they can not even consider having either of these two running the show from flyhalf! Without considering Lambie at flyhalf, the shark backline looks very ordinary and they will most likely struggle to make the top 6 again next year.

 

[Lee Grant]

Taute's problem is he doesn't seem to think tackling is in his job description and when he fleetingly thinks it is, he isn't very good at it.

Lambie is an incredible defender so Taute will need one HELL of a season to upstage Pat.

Taute's poor defence is what I was referring to before; he has a lot to learn and until he does I would play him on the wing in Super Rugby - and not at outside centre.

I think that Lambie will be one of those rare players who could play the rest of his test career as a fullback or ditto at flyhalf. We all know others who have played both positions regularly but this lad looks like something special. I hope that he isn't swapped around a lot but it's odds on that he will be.

 

[Blue]

Exactly my point boet, these two are nowhere near Super Rugby quality Flyhalf's. If the Sharks hope to finish above the bottom 5 they can not even consider having either of these two running the show from flyhalf! Without considering Lambie at flyhalf, the shark backline looks very ordinary and they will most likely struggle to make the top 6 again next year.

They will have no choice but to play Lambie at 10. Those two are pretty crap.

Seriously ,people talk about Plumtree as Bok coach. If his player acquisition over the last few years is anything to go by he should not even be coaching at Super level.

 

[Blue]

Taute's poor defence is what I was referring to before; he has a lot to learn and until he does I would play him on the wing in Super Rugby - and not at outside centre.

I think that Lambie will be one of those rare players who could play the rest of his test career as a fullback or ditto at flyhalf. We all know others who have played both positions regularly but this lad looks like something special. I hope that he isn't swapped around a lot but it's odds on that he will be.

I think he will play 15 in the Super Rugby. I agree he should play wing though.

I hope Lambie doesn't get arsed around like Ruan Pienaar did, which ultimately impacted the latter's game terribly.

 

[Brisbok]

I think he will play 15 in the Super Rugby. I agree he should play wing though.

I hope Lambie doesn't get arsed around like Ruan Pienaar did, which ultimately impacted the latter's game terribly.

It's quite concerning having Lambie's future in the same hands that Pienaar's was, isn't it? What a waste of talent and ability that was.

 

[Lee Grant]

Pienaar always had demons though - who he consulted from time to time.

 

[PaarlBok]

Myself would love to see Jaco in 10. Think he can be destroying in that position and the one he played all his schoolboy rugby in. Maybe he'll get his change there in the near future. Lambie is a 15, full stop and should play there week in week out.

 

[Brisbok]

Pienaar always had demons though - who he consulted from time to time.

I'm not so sure Lee. He was just as talented as Lambie is when he first came onto the scene as a Scrumhalf only. So talented in fact that Jake White tried to find another place for him in the Springbok team given that Fourie du Preez was irreplaceable. So he tried him at fullback and on the wing (where he seemed to do quite well at first) then as a utility on the bench covering 9, 10, 11, 14, 15.

After the RWC win in 2007, White and Eddie Jones suggested (knowing full well that they would not be continuing with the Boks) that he could be the Springboks next flyhalf. De Villiers (as he tends to do) then picked up with someone elses idea and ran with it. He then asked for Pienaar to be given some time at flyhalf for the Sharks in Super Rugby. Plumtree then began to rotate him between scrumhalf (his favoured position) and flyhalf.

He was never given an extended period of time to settle in either of these positions. The rest is history. Even when playing scrumhalf only these days he cannot seem to re-discover the form he showed when he first burst onto the scene.

He is another player who I feel would have benefitted from never putting his name up to do any goalkicking. He was never consistent enough to take on that responsibility. His confidence would be destroyed after an early miss when kicking at goal and the rest of his game would suffer.

 

[PaarlBok]

I'm not so sure Lee. He was just as talented as Lambie is when he first came onto the scene as a Scrumhalf only. So talented in fact that Jake White tried to find another place for him in the Springbok team given that Fourie du Preez was irreplaceable. So he tried him at fullback and on the wing (where he seemed to do quite well at first) then as a utility on the bench covering 9, 10, 11, 14, 15.

After the RWC win in 2007, White and Eddie Jones suggested (knowing full well that they would not be continuing with the Boks) that he could be the Springboks next flyhalf. De Villiers (as he tends to do) then picked up with someone elses idea and ran with it. He then asked for Pienaar to be given some time at flyhalf for the Sharks in Super Rugby. Plumtree then began to rotate him between scrumhalf (his favoured position) and flyhalf.

He was never given an extended period of time to settle in either of these positions. The rest is history. Even when playing scrumhalf only these days he cannot seem to re-discover the form he showed when he first burst onto the scene.

He is another player who I feel would have benefitted from never putting his name up to do any goalkicking. He was never consistent enough to take on that responsibility. His confidence would be destroyed after an early miss when kicking at goal and the rest of his game would suffer.

Myself never been a big Pienaar supporter. Was teach in my young days that a good scrummy is suppose to play a bit in 10 aswell, so he can understand backline space. Seems to work a treat but not Pienaar. cant remember him playing a single good test for the Bokke.