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Bok fans: We want Lambie!

Durban - Heyneke Meyer's Springbok XV met with approval from Sport24 users - with one exception: a resounding call for Patrick Lambie to start at fullback.

GALLERY: Springbok captains

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Despite the initial public outrage over Meyer's selections for the Springbok squad of 32 players, a majority of Sport24 readers approved of the final Springbok team selection for the first Test against England in Durban.

But one omission in particular generated a lot of comment: the absence of Patrick Lambie from the starting line-up.

Lambie has played the majority of Super Rugby this season in the flyhalf position, and he seems earmarked as a utility player after Meyer named him as a replacement for the first Test against England.

Despite making the squad, Lambie's size may count against him: the omission of Stormers backs Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh from the squad seemed to reinforce Meyer's stated preference for larger, more physically imposing players.

Ricardo Loubscher, backline coach for the Springboks, in a recent interview aired his view that Lambie's long-term future was in the flyhalf position.

The rugby public however, made no secret of where they believed Lambie's future lies... at fullback.

"I would still have preferred Lambie at 15." - Lionel

"Kirchner spoils everything." - Trurio

"Ag nee, Zane Kirchner!" - pjn123

"Zane is OK, but not better than Lambie."
- roboman1

"He is not better than Lambie in ANY ASPECT of the game! Lambie out-performs Kirchner in any and all aspects, no matter what type of game you are playing. Lambie is bigger, stronger, more spatially aware, kicks further and more accurately, completes more tackles, fields more high-balls, has a better eye for a gap, and a more solid and reliable pass than Kirschner. Kirchner is simply un-deserving of the jersey - it's a joke!" - grantcallaway

"I would love to give HM his due chance, but anyone who tells me that Zane Kirchner is a better rugby player than Lambie knows nothing about the game." - Paul Coetzee

"Zane is a leader in S15 in try assists and line-break assists so I'm happy to see him there. No one is saying Zane is a better 'rugby player'? They are saying that he's the right guy for the game plan they have." - Random Dude

"Currently Zane is not the best no 15. but Heyneke Meyer trusts him." - Zuljin

"Lambie will be probably a better impact player. Quotas is hopefully not part of this decision?" - Deon

"Lambie did a good job at the RWC." - David Baker

"Bring Lambie on in the second half and let him work his magic." - Charles Dumbwin

"A sane person would not start without Lambie." - Anthony

"Nee Zane is nie die beste nie, (ek's n Bul!)" - Nic

"Transformation may be behind Zane starting." - Sean Brady

"Personally I don't agree with Kirchner...but guess I just prefer running rugby to kicking."
- 5port

"The only reason i could think of for Kirchner staring is racial quotas.HM first disregard for selection of in form black players first in the squad and now in the team will not pass unnoticed...a sad reality is that if he picked a team solely on merit he would have had more black players in it than any other coach!" - Moses

"Hmm, my only change would be Lambie in there but it's cool...Go Bokke!!!" - Bernadette

"Not my choice 15, but go BOKKE!" - Troy van der Westhuizen

"I don't agree that Lambie is better at 10 than at 15, and Johan Goosen is obviously the future Springbok flyhalf (unless something goes horribly wrong). So they must use Lambie at 15, because that's where his future is." - Louwtjievanderwesthuizen

"Apart from Kirchner being about the fifth best No 15 in the country, it is a pretty good team, and we should all wish them well." - CliveK

"Good team in my opinion bar Kirchner at the cost of Lambie." - Herman



Being played in the wrong position? Not suiting Heyneke Meyer's gameplan? Transformation? Diminutive stature? What's the reason behind last year's Springbok Young Player of the Year Award winner Patrick Lambie not making the Bok team? (Gallo Images)
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