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50-up for 'tragic' Lambie

London - Pat Lambie will take his all-too familiar spot on the bench when the Springbok take on Argentina at The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Friday.

Kick-off is at 22:00 SA time.

Lambie will play his 50th Test should he get the call-up off the wood, yet, there is still very little clarity regarding his role with the Springboks.

Lambie, with his calm and assured demeanour, seemed destined for a lengthy and successful Springbok career once he matriculated from Michaelhouse.

However, there remains a feeling that all his potential has been largely unfulfilled to date.

Lambie, now 25-years-old, has had to settle for a back-up role to both Handre Pollard and Morne Steyn at flyhalf and Willie le Roux at fullback.

One gets the feeling that Lambie is often only included on the bench for his versatility as cover for both 10 and 15.

Of the 49 Test matches he's played to date, 32 have been off the bench and in recent times, he's been lucky to get 10 minutes at most of each match.

How easily we forget that Lambie was the one who landed a 55m penalty as the final play of the Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks in Johannesburg last year to give the Springboks victory - coach Heyneke Meyer's only victory over New Zealand.

One can only imagine how many Test starts Lambie would've racked up by now where he born outside of South Africa...

Heading into Friday's clash, Lambie boasts 134 points in the Green and Gold jersey, no mean feat considering his limited game time.

Sport24 Editor Garrin Lambley is covering the 2015 Rugby World Cup live from London.

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