Lambie raring to go – anywhere – and impress the Bok coach

PAT Lambie’s 10-minute cameo on Saturday in his Four Nations debut was not enough – and that is how the player himself sees his brief spell for the Boks against the Wallabies in Perth.

In the first two Four Nations tests – both against Argentina – Lambie was a substitute but was not required to play because coach Heyneke Meyer seldom uses all the reserves.

“I’ve had an ankle injury and have played 10 minutes of rugby in the last six weeks,” he said of the Super 15. “Before that it was 80 minutes in the last 10 weeks so I’m feeling fresh and raring to go.”

Lambie is burning for a real chance to charm the coach. “It was nice to get on for 10 minutes but not enough time to do any- thing. I got the ball a few times and cleaned a few rucks but there wasn’t enough time to do anything.

“I’m desperate for some game time. I’m training hard, maybe even harder than the guys in the starting XV. I’m looking forward to some more game time and making the most of that opportunity.”

The player who substituted at fullback would prefer to play flyhalf but he also knows what they say about beggars.

“I just want to be in the starting line-up.

“Whether that is at fullback or flyhalf, that doesn’t matter. Obviously it would have been nice to get game time at flyhalf against Argentina.

“Having said that, if I get even more time at fullback this weekend it will be great.”

He will even perform roles that may not come to him naturally – like jump through hoops.

“As much as I like to run with the ball and take it to the gainline I have to stick with the game plan. When there is time for me to have a go I will. When there’s not I won’t. I will be doing all I can to impress the coach.”

The Springboks take on the All Blacks in Dunedin’s indoor arena on Saturday and although the elements have been taken out of the equation they are unlikely to move away from their strong pressure kicking game.

“I don’t think the indoor stadium will change our plans.

“If anything it will be dry and there will not be much wind to deal with.” Although Lambie is perhaps the player who suffers most at the Springboks’ preoccupation with hoisting the ball and chasing it like men possessed, he defended the game plan yesterday.

“Australia kicked five more times than us but there is a perception that we kick everything away and chase, hoping for the best.

“Hopefully we will get some reward for the kicks we do put in on Saturday.”