Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus pays tribute to retired Pat Lambie

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has praised former Springbok Pat Lambie, who has announced his retirement from all rugby.
Fly-half Lambie called time on his career at the weekend on medical grounds following a series of concussions.
And the South Africa head coach Erasmus commented on the 28-year-old's ability which he will be unable to rely on come the World Cup later this year.
“Pat was a wonderfully balanced player‚ always humble and he treated everybody the same. I think one of his great strengths was his consistently calm temperament,” Erasmus told South African publication, the Times.
“He gave great service to the Springboks and the Sharks and I want to wish him well with his future endeavours.”
Lambie, who won 56 caps for South Africa, suffered three serious head injuries over the course of three years, obstructing his time at Top 14 outfit Racing 92 after he had signed a four-year contract in 2017.
The former Natal Sharks back detailed how he arrived at the decision to retire after numerous visits to the see medical experts.
“I've had three different courses of medication‚ I've had treatment on my neck and my jaw‚ I've had eye rehabilitation exercises‚ balance work‚ I've been on multi-vitamins‚ I've had blood tests‚ MRIs‚ I've seen specialists here in France and neurologists back in South Africa. And all the information that has been given back to me is that it isn't worth the risk and the advice is that I stop playing.” said Lambie.
Former Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer also had warm words about Lambie after capping him at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Meyer told Sport24: “Pat is way up there with the best talents I ever coached, but I will say this without any doubt at all: there was no better human being in my Bok squads.”
LARRY PORTER