Former Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambie is hoping to enjoy an extended run of injury-free rugby for his new French club in the hope that he can put himself back into contention for Springbok consideration.
In an interview in the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, Lambie says one of the factors that got him through his injury struggles was the realisation that there was still so much more he wanted to achieve on the rugby field.
In recent years, Lambie’s career with both the Sharks and Springboks has been regularly interrupted by injuries, which have included two concussion scares in quick succession.
During last year’s season-opening Test against Ireland in Cape Town, Lambie was knocked out cold in a collision with Ireland No 8 CJ Stander, with the 27-year-old having been sidelined for several months as a result.
Lambie then suffered another head knock in a Super Rugby game against the Kings this past May, which brought on the same post-concussion syndrome, and again kept him out of action for an extended period.
These periods out of the game forced Lambie to reconsider his future, and eventually he opted to sign for French club Racing 92, where he has already made a successful return to action.
“There was a point this year where retirement was on the cards, briefly,” he tells SA Rugby magazine. “But once the emotion of it all had passed, I realised how much more I would still like to do on the rugby field, and it became very easy to get excited about playing again.
“The injuries played a big role in my decision [to head to France],” Lambie adds. “Mentally, it felt as though I needed a complete change; a new start. The opportunity of joining Racing 92 was massive, and exactly the complete change and new start that we were looking for.”
Having featured in 56 Tests for the Springboks, Lambie has surpassed the 30-cap eligibility ruling for overseas-based players, and there is every reason to believe he could earn a recall to the national setup if he impresses for Racing 92.
Lambie insisted that he still had a burning desire to play for the Boks and to hopefully earn inclusion for the 2019 World Cup, although his primary focus is now just to enjoy an extended run of injury-free rugby.
“I would love to play more rugby in the Springbok jersey. World Cups are the highlight of every four-year cycle, and it would be amazing to be a part of another one. But my focus for now is to contribute to Racing 92 as much as possible, and enjoy playing rugby again.”
