Lambie should be OK - Du Preez
Patrick Lambie is injured and out of the Vodacom Super Rugby clash between the Cell C Sharks and Sunwolves this weekend.
Lambie suffered concussion against the Kings last weekend and is not fit to play in Singapore on Saturday.
Sharks head coach, Robert du Preez, believes Lambie could be fit to face the Stormers next weekend.
"Patrick will have to go through the concussion protocols. Hopefully that will all be fine. We did not want to risk taking him on a long flight. Ultimately he did fail the concussion test at the game. I spoke to him on Monday and he is actually feeling much better. So hopefully he will be back for the Stormers game," Du Preez said.
Lambie also suffered concussion in a Test match against Ireland last year and for some time suffered from migraines after the match against the Irish. Du Preez feels he is not right person to ask about the likelihood of this happening again.
"I would not like to comment on that. I mean this from a professional point of view. Our team doctor, Alan Kourie, will be better to talk to about that," Du Preez added.
The Sharks face around six weeks without the injured Jeremy Ward. He has undergone surgery on a broken nose. Du Preez admits that Ward would have been in his plans for the trip to Singapore.
"We wanted to take him, but the surgeon advised that he should not travel. He needed the surgery done urgently. He will be out of contact sessions for around four to five weeks," Du Preez said.
Du Preez believes he has worthy replacements for both Lambie and Ward.
"Johan Deysel has been very close to making the match-day squad of 23. The guys who are coming in will have to step up," Du Preez added.
The Sunwolves play a style of rugby similar to that played by the Kings. Du Preez wants the Sharks to focus on their own game.
"You know we need to play to our strengths. The pack of forwards will definitely be key for us. However, I am looking for a massive step up from the whole team. So it is not only the pack. This is a mission we are going on and we need a massive effort from everyone. It is a lack of effort that let us down in Port Elizabeth. We were very poor against the Kings. We basically were out-played and out-muscled. The Kings also had more passion. Given the squad that we have, that display was unacceptable. I am tired of making excuses for the players. We simply were not good enough. That from a team with the kind of talent we have," Du Preez said.
Du Preez believes that the Sharks had prepared well for the game against the Kings.
"We spoke about what the Kings would bring. We knew what they would bring. They brought in a lot of fans for the game and we knew it would be a passionate affair. We knew all these things and so the question is why did we not make the step up. I need to look at the senior players in the group. They need to step it up and I think the individual mental preparation needs to be stepped up. I mean how do you explain a performance like that? I am not being disrespectful to the Kings here," Du Preez said.
The Force did the Sharks a favour last weekend by beating the Jaguares in Argentina. However, Du Preez feels a win against the Sunwolves this weekend is non-negotiable.
"It is all-important. This was supposed to be our momentum phase. So now we are back to square one again. So we need this win on Saturday to get us properly back on track. It needs to be a proper win. I mean an all-out great performance. That will set us right for the three derbies back in South Africa," Du Preez concluded.
ALSO READ - Sharks lose Ward for six weeks
Rohan Hoffmann will referee the game in Singapore on Saturday afternoon.
Kickoff is at 13h55 - South African time.
Sharks head coach, Robert du Preez, believes Lambie could be fit to face the Stormers next weekend.
"Patrick will have to go through the concussion protocols. Hopefully that will all be fine. We did not want to risk taking him on a long flight. Ultimately he did fail the concussion test at the game. I spoke to him on Monday and he is actually feeling much better. So hopefully he will be back for the Stormers game," Du Preez said.
Lambie also suffered concussion in a Test match against Ireland last year and for some time suffered from migraines after the match against the Irish. Du Preez feels he is not right person to ask about the likelihood of this happening again.
"I would not like to comment on that. I mean this from a professional point of view. Our team doctor, Alan Kourie, will be better to talk to about that," Du Preez added.
The Sharks face around six weeks without the injured Jeremy Ward. He has undergone surgery on a broken nose. Du Preez admits that Ward would have been in his plans for the trip to Singapore.
"We wanted to take him, but the surgeon advised that he should not travel. He needed the surgery done urgently. He will be out of contact sessions for around four to five weeks," Du Preez said.
Du Preez believes he has worthy replacements for both Lambie and Ward.
"Johan Deysel has been very close to making the match-day squad of 23. The guys who are coming in will have to step up," Du Preez added.
The Sunwolves play a style of rugby similar to that played by the Kings. Du Preez wants the Sharks to focus on their own game.
"You know we need to play to our strengths. The pack of forwards will definitely be key for us. However, I am looking for a massive step up from the whole team. So it is not only the pack. This is a mission we are going on and we need a massive effort from everyone. It is a lack of effort that let us down in Port Elizabeth. We were very poor against the Kings. We basically were out-played and out-muscled. The Kings also had more passion. Given the squad that we have, that display was unacceptable. I am tired of making excuses for the players. We simply were not good enough. That from a team with the kind of talent we have," Du Preez said.
Du Preez believes that the Sharks had prepared well for the game against the Kings.
"We spoke about what the Kings would bring. We knew what they would bring. They brought in a lot of fans for the game and we knew it would be a passionate affair. We knew all these things and so the question is why did we not make the step up. I need to look at the senior players in the group. They need to step it up and I think the individual mental preparation needs to be stepped up. I mean how do you explain a performance like that? I am not being disrespectful to the Kings here," Du Preez said.
The Force did the Sharks a favour last weekend by beating the Jaguares in Argentina. However, Du Preez feels a win against the Sunwolves this weekend is non-negotiable.
"It is all-important. This was supposed to be our momentum phase. So now we are back to square one again. So we need this win on Saturday to get us properly back on track. It needs to be a proper win. I mean an all-out great performance. That will set us right for the three derbies back in South Africa," Du Preez concluded.
ALSO READ - Sharks lose Ward for six weeks
Rohan Hoffmann will referee the game in Singapore on Saturday afternoon.
Kickoff is at 13h55 - South African time.
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre