Lambie denies newspaper report that he’s heading to France

BOTH the Sharks and Patick Lambie have refuted claims from a French newspaper that he has a done-and-dusted deal with Paris club Racing 92.

According to a Sharks spokesperson, Lambie is contracted to the Sharks and links with the French club made through

are speculation. The 26-year-old is still undergoing return-to-play protocols after a concussion earlier this year, the latest in a series of unlucky injury incidents, and he first needs to be medically cleared before he makes a decision on his rugby career.

The French newspaper insist Lambie is joining the Paris club on a three-year-deal.

Yesterday Lambie said on Twitter that “despite some rumours, I need to get fit and be cleared to play again before making any decisions on the future.”

The Sharks referred the media to a July 6 press release that said the flyhalf was looking forward to returning to the game.

“I will be playing rugby again and I certainly have no plans to retire,” he said. “My focus for now is purely on making a full recovery and getting fit and strong again. Once the three-month rest period has been completed, I will be reassessed to determine where we are in terms of the rugby calendar for the rest of the season.”

The 56-Test Springbok is contracted to play for the Sharks in Super Rugby next year.

There have been rumours for some time that Lambie wants a break from the South African game after his run of misfortune and the French club has been linked with Lambie in the past. There has also been unconfirmed speculation from the Cape that Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez could be returning to his native Durban. THE WEEK’S rest that the Blue Bulls enjoyed so early in their Currie Cup campaign could prove to be what they needed ahead of three tough fixtures against the Golden Lions and Sharks at home before taking on Western Province – all of these in a matter of seven days.

While the Lions are just two points ahead of them, the Sharks on the same number of points and Western Province languishing at the bottom of the log, the men in blue will need to put their best foot forward to overcome the threats they will be facing with just four days between outings

The Lions and Sharks have already played two games and suffered what seemed to be minor setbacks in the start to their campaigns with them losing to the Pumas and Free State Cheetahs, respectively, before coming back with emphatic wins in the second round.

Western Province have only played one game and that was a loss on Sunday to the defending champion Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

And the Bulls were dealt a heavy blow when captain Ruan Steenkamp was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in training at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.

Steenkamp missed the Bulls opening game of the season against Griquas in Kimberley as he was still recovering from a niggling injury sustained during the Super Rugby season and his absence will hit the Bulls particularly hard because of their thin stocks at openside flank.

Roelof Smit is still a month away from returning to the playing field after suffering a knee injury in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, having spent just over six months recovering from a pectoral muscle injury suffered on duty with the Springboks on 2016’s end-of-year tour.

The unavailability of Steenkamp and Smit will mean the Bulls will face the Lions and Sharks with only two recognised and experienced openside flanks in Shaun Adendorff and Nic de Jager, while coach Nollis Marais could also consider shifting former Sevens star Boom Prinsloo into the number six jersey.

Marais will also have to deal with another mini crisis at hooker with first choice number two Jaco Visagie suffering from a shoulder injury, while Edgar Marutlulle still has another week of rehabilitation left, and with Cornel Els also on the casualty list.

Jan-Henning Campher will in all likelihood get the nod to start at number two with Junior Springbok hooker Johan Grobbelaar in the running to get his Currie Cup debut.

But the Bulls would have taken a lot of confidence from their 51-45 win over Griquas and they will fancy their chances of taking some points off the Lions whose senior team is still involved with Super Rugby as they prepare to host Saturday’s final against the Crusaders from New Zealand.

Another big boost to the Bulls’ confidence is the return to training of Springbok wing Jamba Ulengo, centre Dries Swanepoel and utility back Johnny Kotze – but it is highly unlikely Marais will want to tinker with his backs after they outran and outsmarted Griquas.

The Bulls will also have Springbok tourist Lizo Gqoboka at their disposal after the loosehead prop missed out on the Griquas game as he was still recovering from post-concussion symptoms sustained in the closing weeks of Super Rugby.