In the December 2012 issue of SA Rugby magazine – now archived online – Heyneke Meyer tipped Eben Etzebeth for greatness and John Plumtree picked Pat Lambie’s position.
Greatness all over Etzebeth
After Eben Etzebeth’s outstanding first season of professional rugby, SA Rugby magazine argued that comparisons with Bakkies Botha were premature, but there was little doubt about the 21-year-old lock’s enormous potential.
SA Rugby general manager of high performance teams Rassie Erasmus described Etzebeth as a “total athlete”, while Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer was already concerned about managing his workload, warning: “He can’t play every game. If he does, his career will be over by 25.”
Meyer was particularly impressed by Etzebeth’s development during his debut Test season.
“I got a young boy before that England Test in Durban [Etzebeth’s debut]. Now he is a man in his own right,” he said. “When I consider the mental advances he made in his first Test season, it makes me believe that he can become one of the greatest players ever to play the game because he also has everything else.
“He gives me the same feeling I had with Fourie du Preez, Victor Matfield and Bakkies. There is greatness all over him.”
Where should Lambie play?
At just 22, Pat Lambie was already established in the Springbok squad, but there remained considerable debate about whether his long-term future was at flyhalf or fullback.
Lambie told SA Rugby magazine he was happy to play either position and rejected suggestions that he was frustrated by his limited opportunities for the Boks.
“I basically just want to be on the field and I really don’t mind which position it is,” he said.
Sharks coach John Plumtree was far less diplomatic about where Lambie belonged, arguing that his “rugby brain”, communication skills and ability to organise those around him made him a natural No 10.
“Pat is best suited to 10 because of his rugby brain, and because he is an excellent communicator in that he can bring out the best in players around him,” Plumtree said.
MORE: SA Rugby mag opens its vault
He also warned against continually shifting Lambie between positions.
“We don’t want to get to that Frans Steyn/Ruan Pienaar situation [of players not knowing what their best position is and getting messed around]. Pat’s natural ability is best suited to flyhalf. It is as simple as that.”
The post Blast from our past: ‘There is greatness all over Eben’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
In the December 2012 issue of SA Rugby magazine – now archived online – Heyneke Meyer tipped Eben Etzebeth for greatness and John Plumtree picked Pat Lambie’s position.
The post Blast from our past: ‘There is greatness all over Eben’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
