Patrick Jonathan Lambie (born 17 October 1990) is a retired South African professional rugby union player who represented the Sharks and Racing 92, and played fly-half, fullback and centre. Widely regarded as one of the most composed and talented South African players of his generation, he earned 56 Test caps for South Africa between 2010 and 2016. He concluded his career with Racing 92 in the French Top 14 before announcing his retirement in January 2019 due to multiple concussions.
Lambie was born to Ian Lambie and Catherine (née Labuschagne) Lambie. He attended Clifton Preparatory in Durban before enrolling at Michaelhouse from 2004 to 2008, where he was head boy and captained both the rugby and cricket teams. During this time he represented KwaZulu-Natal at Craven Week in 2007 and 2008 and was selected for the South African Schools side in both years. In 2010 he became Michaelhouse’s first Springbok rugby player in the school’s 115-year history.
Lambie comes from a family with strong Scottish and English rugby heritage. His father Ian spent the first twelve years of his life in Troon, Scotland, and later played provincial rugby for Natal in the 1980s. His maternal grandfather, Nic Labuschagne, played hooker for England, Natal and the Barbarians, and later served as president of the Natal Rugby Union. Through his paternal line he is related to former Scotland internationals Peter Brown and Gordon Brown, with Brown’s grandmother being the sister of Lambie’s great-grandmother. He also holds a British passport.
2009 Season: Sharks junior career and professional debut
Lambie enjoyed a successful season for the Sharks Under-21 side in 2009, finishing as the leading points scorer in the ABSA U21 Currie Cup with 192 points, despite only turning 19 that year. He helped the side reach the U21 ABSA Currie Cup final, where they were narrowly beaten by the U21 Free State Cheetahs. He also made his senior debut later that season in the 2009 Currie Cup, appearing at centre off the bench against the Griquas.
Lambie made his Super Rugby debut at fullback for the Sharks against the Highlanders on 20 March 2010. His debut coincided with the end of the Sharks’ five-match losing streak, and he went on to start the next seven consecutive games, scoring two tries during this period.
He transitioned between fullback, centre and fly-half during the year, becoming the Sharks’ first-choice No.10 during the 2010 Currie Cup. He played in all sixteen Currie Cup matches, coming off the bench in just one of them, and finished the competition with 205 points, the second-highest tally that season.
In the Currie Cup final he delivered one of the standout performances of his career, scoring 25 points in the Sharks’ 30–10 victory over Western Province, earning the Man-of-the-Match award. Across all competitions in 2010, he played 24 matches for the Sharks, winning 19 and scoring 215 points.
Lambie began the 2011 Super Rugby season as the Sharks’ starting fly-half, opening the campaign against the Cheetahs and scoring eleven points through a converted try and three penalties. In the second round he delivered a strong performance, scoring 21 points (a try, four penalties and two conversions) in a 26–12 victory over the Blues, earning the Man-of-the-Match award. He followed this with another Man-of-the-Match display in Round 3 against the Western Force.
Despite breaking a finger mid-season and missing several matches, Lambie still amassed 193 points (including four tries) in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament, setting a Sharks record for the most points scored in a single season. His strong Super Rugby form contributed to his selection for the Springboks that year.
He later featured in the 2011 Currie Cup, starting in the Sharks’ semi-final victory over the Blue Bulls and in the final, where the side lost 42–16 to the Golden Lions.
Lambie played 13 matches in the 2012 Super Rugby season, scoring 141 points and helping the Sharks reach the final, where they were defeated 37–6 by the Chiefs.
The Sharks opened their campaign with an 18–13 loss to the Bulls, where Lambie converted a try and kicked two penalties. The following week they were edged 15–12 by the Stormers, with Lambie again contributing the bulk of the Sharks’ points. He continued to play a key role in the weeks that followed, scoring 39 points across matches against the Lions, Reds and Waratahs.
During the match against the Waratahs Lambie suffered a dental injury, which ruled him out for two weeks and caused him to miss fixtures against the Brumbies and Hurricanes. On return, he played against the Blues and scored nine points in a narrow contest. Lambie also produced a Man-of-the-Match performance against the Highlanders, scoring all his team's 28 points as the Sharks built momentum towards the playoffs. However, further injury kept him out of the qualifier against the Reds and the semi-final against the Stormers, though he returned for the final in Hamilton against the Chiefs.
Lambie’s domestic form continued in the Currie Cup, where his limited appearances were highly influential. In the opening match against the Griquas in Kimberley he set up three tries and scored 17 points. He was again named Man-of-the-Match in the semi-final after scoring 15 points from five penalties against the Blue Bulls. In the final the Sharks lost 25–18 to Western Province, with Lambie scoring all 18 of his team’s points through six penalties.
Lambie remained the Sharks’ first-choice fly-half throughout the 2013 Super Rugby season, delivering several match-winning performances. He kicked four penalties in a 12–6 victory over the Stormers early in the campaign, before scoring all 21 points (six penalties and a drop-goal) in a 21–12 win over the Southern Kings. In April he produced another standout performance by kicking seven penalties in a 21–17 win over the Crusaders.
Lambie carried his strong form into the domestic season, playing a central role in the Sharks’ successful Currie Cup campaign. He steered the team to a 33–22 semi-final victory over the Free State Cheetahs, scoring a try and contributing with the boot, and was singled out by coaching staff for his influence on the team’s performance. In the final he delivered one of the finest displays of his domestic career, scoring 23 points as the Sharks defeated Western Province 33–19 at Newlands to win the Currie Cup.
Lambie began the 2014 Super Rugby season well, including a 17-point contribution in the Sharks’ 27–9 win over the Hurricanes in February. His campaign was disrupted when he suffered a torn biceps in early April, ruling him out for several months.