Supporting Steyn

Supporting Steyn

10 Feb 2009

Frans Steyn needs to be backed. It’s a plea more than a command, and one shared by the vast majority in the South African rugby fraternity.

sar-coverHe is an exceptional talent and has proven this at Super 14 and Test level, where he shone on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup. The fact that he was 20 years old and playing in a position unfamiliar to him bears testament to what a special talent we’ve produced.

However, 2008 saw him dabble in mediocrity. There were outstanding performances, particularly in the Currie Cup, to remind his critics of his class. But there can be no denying that he regressed from the heights of 2007. Mitigating factors there are aplenty, the primary one being the failure of his coaches to settle on a set position for him.

That problem seems to be alleviated, with Sharks coach John Plumtree confirming that Steyn is set for an extended run at inside centre. Now it’s time to back the boy. That’s the rallying cry from SA Rugby magazine’s panel of experts – Alan Solomons, Murray Mexted, Eddie Jones and John Plumtree.

All believe Steyn to be a rare talent capable of dominating the game in a manner few have if he’s given the right support structures, time to settle and freedom to express himself. In the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale Wednesday, they explain what’s gone wrong in the past and plot the way forward for the best young buck to emerge in the past decade.

Also in the new issue:

sar-koster– A schoolboy sensation for Bishops, Nick Koster was always destined for greatness. Expect him to live up to the hype.

– USA Eagles captain Todd Clever turned down a lucrative offer with a European club to play Super 14 rugby for the Lions. The flanker talks about that crucial decision, learning Afrikaans, his new nickname and what it’s like to live in Johannesburg.

– Meyer Bosman on playing flyhalf for the Cheetahs, the team’s defensive problems, injury setbacks, and what he loves about Bloemfontein.

– Ex-flanker Derick Kuün believes 2009 will be his breakthrough season at hooker.

sar-big-joe– New Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder on why his understanding of the team’s culture offsets his lack of coaching experience, whether he’ll be speaking to Robbie Deans during the Super 14, what he will do differently from Deans, the massive loss of Dan Carter and the ELVs.

– When the Queensland Reds poached All Blacks flank Daniel Braid from the Auckland-based Blues, it ushered in a new era of Super Rugby.

– Joe van Niekerk reveals how his playboy lifestyle affected his rugby career and insists he’s not the same person he was 18 months ago. But is this change we can believe in?

– Injury-prone England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson has gone from tortured soul to enlightened being with help from mentor Steve Black.

sar-ebersohn– Wales No 8 Andy Powell wouldn’t be playing rugby today if it wasn’t for Springbok selector Ian McIntosh.

– The budding relationship between the Stormers and English club Saracens is bound to reap mutual benefit in years to come.

– Robert Ebersohn has no regrets about picking sevens over Super Rugby. The 20-year-old explains why he enjoys working with coach Paul Treu, why the Boks will win the Sevens World Cup in Dubai, and his thoughts on South African Mat Turner playing for the England Sevens side.

To subscribe to SA Rugby magazine click on the subs link on keo.co.za or phone (021) 416-0141


796 Comments

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  • 651.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:53 pm

    #645 carol: A little bit of this.. and a little bit of that…

    Noooooo, just had a busy day… thought I would just unwind and unraffle a bit tonight !

  • 652.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:53 pm

    # carol: 633 – that so good for my ego :-(

  • 653.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:54 pm

    # grootblousmile: 646..I will bide my time….Busy day today?

  • 654.Cuito Carnivale: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:55 pm

    # yliad:642 Welcome to the Skopster…..Hater, KK and myself have been dominating here all day…I need a break…carry the torch for a while..Long live Fidel long live Da Cubans…as opposed to the boeremafia who can’t push the report button any longer

  • 655.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:55 pm

    # yliad: Hi Skoppie. Whatzup?

  • 656.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:56 pm

    # 649 JimT: Cuito can’t even run to his mommy, never mind give me a run for the money…

    Hahaha

    Bwahahahahaha

    Nothing can fire me up tonight… I am mellow and sharp as a razorrrrrrrr blade !

  • 657.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:56 pm

    # grootblousmile: 651 ..Mind if I join you? :-)

  • 658.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:57 pm

    # JimT: 652 Jim, I sense your ego is intact and firmly in place horse or no horse ;-)

  • 659.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:58 pm

    I have just looked at Frans Steyn, has he had a perm? Looks like my mum did in the 70′s!!

  • 660.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:58 pm

    # 657 carol: Nooooooooo… come unraffle…. first thing which goes is all the clothes , of course….. hehehe

  • 661.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 20:58 pm

    # carol: 650 – Dawn does the vetting & the Mafia takes you out if you fail vetting. Everyone has their role. I just report the facts m’aam, just the facts. :-)

  • 662.Cuito Carnivale: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:00 pm

    # grootblousmile: Daar begin jy….ai ou man…JY kom nou eers…but welcome to Cuba…ons het hier oor gevat…sit in die hoek solank…cigars are on the house

  • 663.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:00 pm

    # grootblousmile: 660 Good grief it’s only 7.05pm here and going to be minus 8 tonight, so my clothes are staying on thank you very much!! ;-)

  • 664.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:01 pm

    # carol: 658 – Well I got worried there for a bit. Felt around & found it, but i think it’s bruised :-)

  • 665.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:02 pm

    # grootblousmile: 660 – this is beginning to sound like an orgy already :-)

  • 666.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:03 pm

    # 662 Cuito Carnivale: Bloei solank, ek is nou-nou by jou… ek praat nou eers met die opgevoede mense… OK, nippelneusie !!

  • 667.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:04 pm

    # carol: 663 – we are at 66F(17C)right now, eat your heart out :-)

  • 668.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:05 pm

    # 665 JimT: Hahaha… I’m in jolly good spirits tonight…

    The tills were rollllllinggggg today, saying ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching….

  • 669.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:06 pm

    #663 carol: Freegin hell… that’s colddddddd…. brrrrrrrrrr

  • 670.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:06 pm

    # JimT: 664 – The bruising was from the rugby practice, you can’t lay that one at my door!

  • 671.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:07 pm

    Carol – WRS must have felt good after Saturday. Wales looked pretty sharp IMO. The team to beat this year in 6N.

    Frogs & Italians let me down on Superbru otherwise I could have been in the hunt. Managed to accumulate 2.5 pts. How about you?

  • 672.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:08 pm

    # grootblousmile: 669 – You can see why I am so attached to my clothes!!
    Had to get towed off the farm today, my Audi did not like the deep snow, actually semi bald tyres do not help!! Heheh

  • 673.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:09 pm

    hi all…hi princess..xx..howzit skop…had to rush off to save the Origination industry!

  • 674.Cuito Carnivale: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:09 pm

    # grootblousmile: Razor sharp…LMAO..LMGS but let me not disturb your conversation with carol…ek krap in niemand se slaai nie.# carol: Hi carol…go easy on GBS…blood pressure

  • 675.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:09 pm

    # grootblousmile: 668 – GBS singing the refrain “we’re in the money, we’re in the money” along with clinking of glasses. Good on you :-)

  • 676.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:10 pm

    # JimT: 671- He will enjoy watching them live on Saturday at the Milennium Stadium! Should be a great match to see!! I am sure he and his chum will have an excellent time!!

  • 677.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:11 pm

    # JimT: my Irish gonna klap them…hope we have them at home??

  • 678.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:12 pm

    #672 carol: It was a lovely day here, till it started raining in Pretoria around 16:30… and then all the way through Rush hour traffic… traffic was soooo bad, had to stop off at a client to drink a glass of wine, waiting for the traffic to get a little less…

  • 679.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:12 pm

    # grant10: 673 – Thought you had slipped over the edge into the “grey bits”….
    Are you the Origination Industries Super Hero?

  • 680.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:12 pm

    # carol: 670 – Yes I did a little propping on Sunday & then a player had the temerity to ask if I was ok. Grrr (note he was not packing down against me)> Next time I’ll get him up front & show him a thing or two :-)

  • 681.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:13 pm

    # carol: LOL…I am not sure i would take a wife to a bok ..pom game if she was a Pom!!

  • 682.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:14 pm

    # Cuito Carnivale: 674- He assures me everything is in good working order, so I will not worry unduly!!

  • 683.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:14 pm

    # carol: 672 – I assume you were in your car when towed, otherwise might take some explaining :-)

  • 684.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:15 pm

    # carol: 676- She says gritting her teeth :-)

  • 685.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:15 pm

    # JimT: 680 – A little propping, does this mean propping up the bar or something like that?

  • 686.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:16 pm

    # carol: Appear to be so…banks bullying us and we having to reinvent our business models, etc…i called this strategy a year ago so have been through the pain…now others wanting my assistance…and i am happy to assist where i can..

  • 687.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:16 pm

    # 674 Cuito Carnivale: Hey, sit still in the corner… the BIG people are talking, little Cuban.

    Hahahaha

  • 688.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:16 pm

    # grant10: 677 – I think Wales will have this one, especially at home with that crowd behind them.

  • 689.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:17 pm

    # grant10: 681 – It could have been tense, actually probably not as tense as it is now lol!!

  • 690.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:18 pm

    # grootblousmile: 678 – All this traffic in Africa, I thought you all had so much space there!! lol…..
    Are you getting chilled yet?

  • 691.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:19 pm

    # JimT: are wales home to irish??

  • 692.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:19 pm

    # carol: 685 – No, no dear lady, this was the real thing. Felt good too, sweating down there with the rest of the boys. Brought back old memories.

  • 693.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:19 pm

    # JimT: 684 – I will say no more on the subject….for a bit!!

  • 694.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:21 pm

    # carol: 690 – He’s talking about the giraffes & the elephants :-)

  • 695.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:21 pm

    # grant10: 686 – I hope you are getting paid well over the odds for your advice and experience!!!!

  • 696.JimT: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:21 pm

    # grant10: 691 – yep

  • 697.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:22 pm

    # 690 carol: Freegin hell, they are working on ALL the Highways and major roads in preparation of the Soccer World Cup 2010……… it’s total chaos…. much like Little Cuban’s head….

    I am chilled…. need to go check my Facebook just now…

  • 698.grant10: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:22 pm

    # carol: blonde had a major deal approved today by std bank….heeeehaaa

  • 699.carol: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:23 pm

    # JimT: 692 – You should not say “Old” memories……makes you sound over 40!

  • 700.gunther: Reply to this comment
    10 Feb 2009, 21:23 pm

    # grant10:

    mate same old story, times get tough and people look to squeeze pennies, they resent commissions etc because they see money going out and it burns their ***..

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