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.
He 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:
– 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.
– 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.
– 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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10 Feb 2009, 13:57 pm
# Cuito Carnivale:
Habana has a little technical problem. He is too flat on attack, maybe because on defence, coming up flat has paid some dividends for him with the intercepts.
If he starts off a bit deeper, he will have that split second of time to make his magic.
10 Feb 2009, 13:58 pm
# WP Till I Die:
skoppie is a lot more entertaining…
an intelligent
10 Feb 2009, 14:00 pm
# hater:
Take me up on that!
10 Feb 2009, 14:00 pm
# Cosa: Skop is not on right now.
It’s just a shame that you blasting a guy who didn’t even make comments to you. That’s not fair. Like if I log off, you still gonna call me names?
That’s chicken dude.
10 Feb 2009, 14:01 pm
# rangerman: My comment is provocative…not silly..but I will never deny Habana’s talent..he single handedly kept Jake and Heyneke in their jobs..he does not feel the need to do the same for PDV…why??
10 Feb 2009, 14:01 pm
# Wallabie. – Is the S14 here yet!!: fukking hectic and our thoughts go out to their families walla.
bleak.
# hater: lol, i wasnt banned but it was close! i used the term d#rkies in a sentence like:
whities and d#rkies blah blah blah
and someone thought i was being racist. i wasnt.
# mshiniwami: hopefully he comes good. the man is talent man, talent.
10 Feb 2009, 14:02 pm
# Cosa: I’m looking forward to it.
10 Feb 2009, 14:05 pm
# rangerman: Trigger happy people. Well you can’t blame them. Gbs and Pietman created the reporting and banning precedent, “trying to silence voices”, so people jumped on the “ban” wagon, (no pun intended), as an act of revenge. It’s a shame.
10 Feb 2009, 14:06 pm
208:i think i’ll answer that question saturday evening.if you’re a sharks fan,relax,have never been a sharks hater,just taking the mickey out of you shark boys.
10 Feb 2009, 14:07 pm
# rangerman: Was going to welcome you to the club of the Banned Icons or living legends..but you should realise racism gets you a warning…kicking Dutch Arse gets you banned for life…need to change persona to get back on..
10 Feb 2009, 14:07 pm
# Cuito Carnivale: provocative?
nah, i dont think so. if it had a grounding in truth then i would feel it was provocative. i am all for provocative as imo it can provoke thoughts which wouldnt normally be entertained.
in fact i have found my personal growth greatly accelerated by this blog. what an opportunity it presents. how sad that some use it just to insult or push their own agenda.
but thats life and i suppose this is a microcosm………..what the hell am i on about????????
GO SHARKS (phew!)
10 Feb 2009, 14:07 pm
# Cuito Carnivale: I just figured out who you are. Welcome back. I missed you.
10 Feb 2009, 14:08 pm
# hater:
He did not make comments to me, you are correct. Today, that is.
And despite all your assurances that KK is not skopskiet, I suspect that he is. And his other nick is Yliad.
As for your KKK references – oog, balk, splinter.
10 Feb 2009, 14:11 pm
I must say, people for some reason love to hate old skoppie.
Yes, he’s controversial, yes, he’s abrasive at times…but he sure is intelligent and entertaining and stimulating.
Sometimes it takes the big man to make the small view known…and for that I value skoppie, for the fact that he is never afraid to put forward an unpopular view.
We should know from our past that it is vitally important for the unpopular view to be heard. You might not agree with it, completely discount it – but don’t deny it’s right to be there.
10 Feb 2009, 14:11 pm
# hater: “ban” wagon
# Cuito Carnivale: my wife is afrikaans and your comment would be hurtful to her so dont drag me onto your platform thanks.
i prefer not to label entire groups. its the root of prejuidice.
after all, not all stormers fans are brokeback and not all bulls fans are klippies drinkers
10 Feb 2009, 14:12 pm
# hater: Been around for a while but its has been slow for the past wto weeks…only manage to scalp two or three dutchmen. We got a name…just coined it….Da Cubans
10 Feb 2009, 14:13 pm
# hater:
I don’t think I’ve ever reported someone on here…
10 Feb 2009, 14:13 pm
Habana simply has to learn to catch the ball. Then he will be amazing. He made too many mistakes last year (by his high standards). Hope he corrects that this year. Would love to see him chip and round the defences again this year. Or even just round them.
10 Feb 2009, 14:13 pm
The green is too close to the black. The editor is at the wrong end. I can see bugger all on the one page. This looks nicer but is all a bit impracticable.
IMO
10 Feb 2009, 14:15 pm
and links have no numbers.
Where has all the meaning gone.
It all seems so impersonal.
10 Feb 2009, 14:15 pm
# Cuito Carnivale:
Would have loved to have you present are the real place.
You would still be busy washing your pants…. or drawers.
And I am not scalped as easy.
10 Feb 2009, 14:16 pm
# rangerman: Not all afrikaners are dutchmen….its a special name I give to racist idiots…who are afrikaans…got another name for english racist…Tell your wife I think that she is OK…At the moment I think that she is an over achiever..Please don’t disappoint her
10 Feb 2009, 14:17 pm
# Cosa: Dude. It’s a club of people. They have used this reference themselves as a Mafia group, even joke about it. No drama at all. Just wanted to know if you sailed with them.
Skop is not part of them however, and we all know his nicks. Blog a little longer and you’ll see.
As for the last………Ek hou van iemand wat so mooi afrikaans praat. Ek is regtig baie beindruk.
10 Feb 2009, 14:19 pm
# Cuito Carnivale: # Cosa:
You, both – stop your **** – the war is long over.
10 Feb 2009, 14:19 pm
# Cuito Carnivale: It has been slow. Cannot wait for Friday. It’s going to be a great season of banter and fights I’m sure.
10 Feb 2009, 14:20 pm
I see that Blackadder has been correctly schooled by Robbie and is already talking up the Chiefs. It is all going to plan.
10 Feb 2009, 14:20 pm
here i am sitting in my sixth storey apartment and a huge male vervet ****** has climbed onto my patio off the lounge, ripped out all of my spring onion and shat on the floor!
he is alone and so probably a wandering male who has been chased out of a troop by the dominant male/s and is looking for a troop to join.
this is a dangerous time for him as he has only himself to rely on for predator detection (a reduced risk for him as most of his natural predators have been removed from this area).
but if he touches any more of my plants he is gonna find out how dangerous the world really is! (not really, poor bugger is probably famished).
10 Feb 2009, 14:21 pm
We regress but progress
10 Feb 2009, 14:22 pm
# WP Till I Die: This place would not be the same without him. Even his critics will acknowledge that.
10 Feb 2009, 14:23 pm
# rangerman:
****** business.
Are you running ThrottleLauncher yet?
Are you at a S14 game this weekend?
10 Feb 2009, 14:25 pm
#279 hater: <switching to manual
who?
10 Feb 2009, 14:25 pm
# Cuito Carnivale:
she is my pride and joy mate.
but ja, even she acknowledges that the “dutchmen” who go to mozambique, race quadbikes on the dunes causing huge erosion and environmental degradation, take freezers to fill with more gamefish than they could ever eat and mistreat the locals, are locust pests.
then again, many behave themselves and add to the economic upliftment of an impoverished society.
the few, the awful few.
10 Feb 2009, 14:26 pm
# rangerman: True man. One of my best friends is an avid Bulls supporter, is black, his afrikaans sucks, was born in the Transkei and loves Steve Hofmeyer. Clearly an interesting combination and a hell of a nice guy. He likes Castle draft. So yeah. No klippies.
10 Feb 2009, 14:27 pm
# WP Till I Die: Silly man!!! it starts on friday….definitely not a Cuban…BTW you backed Israel in Gaza…says a lot about you..Habana Syndrome?
10 Feb 2009, 14:27 pm
# hater: Skopskiet
10 Feb 2009, 14:28 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable: skopskiet
10 Feb 2009, 14:28 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable: no, havent had time to download it but will do.
i am in durbs so i cant go this weekend (its in capetown). but next weekend we host the lions and my family in law get to mope AGAIN whilst i rub their noses in the glory that is the SHARKS!!!!!!!!
10 Feb 2009, 14:29 pm
You guys notice that the numbers are not always in sequence. And the green too close of black.
10 Feb 2009, 14:30 pm
# rangerman: Seen that once down in Umhlanga. Was near the Oyster Box hotel and looked up to the building at the back and on the about th 4th floor there was a ****** on the rails of that apartment patio. How they get up there is just a wonder.
Did you see that programme on Street ******* ranger? After seeing that I actually feel sorry for those guys. Most of them are just really hundry all the time.
I have had plenty in my garden in my house there and also have come into my lounge.
I actually miss that kind of thing here in Joburg. Enjoy it never mind the mess……..hahahahaha. Our wild life is getting less and less.
10 Feb 2009, 14:32 pm
# Puma: ignore the typing mistakes.
10 Feb 2009, 14:33 pm
Hello everyone, finally getting a look in on the site after a couple of crzy weeks. The pickings on here seem pretty slim. Just the occasional bonehead bashing. Can’t wait for Friday, have a feeling this year the competition is wide open. Good on Steyn for signing with the Sharks and not going for the money.
10 Feb 2009, 14:33 pm
# Cuito Carnivale:
In this specific conflict against Gaza, because of Hamas – yes, I backed Israel.
I do not back the deaths of innocent civilians, though. War is horrible.
You will note that I mentioned earlier that it is important for the unpopular view to be present – it seemed to me also that every person possible in South Africa was suddenly on the side of the Palestinians and that perhaps it was necessary to go and look at both sides of the coin.
Always try to place yourself in another’s shoes.
10 Feb 2009, 14:33 pm
# hater: Yes agree said that this morning. You cant pick up the name quick in the green should have kept the yellow. Also should have our nicks in bold black. Need the number to the post that we answer back aswell.
10 Feb 2009, 14:33 pm
# hater: Aw thanks hater…with tears in my eyes…its like getting an oscar or a grammy…but it would seem that we have taken over here…history remains good to us…Long live the cubans…salsa is wicked!!
10 Feb 2009, 14:35 pm
# hater: lmao! what a combo, hehe.
you know, i wish sometimes we could have a tv show where someone (ex-player maybe?) goes around to all the obscure rugby clubs and pubs in towns, townships, locations, suburbs, rural areas etc of our country and meets the locals, attends the games and festivals etc etc.
would make for a cracker tv show i think and an eye opener too. who can imagine 4×4 ing through the rural transkei and finding rickety rugby posts in the middle of nowhere?
thats the kind of exposure our grassroots rugby needs. the tangible evidence that this wonderful game belogs to everyone and anyone who loves it.
(cue the braveheart music people).
10 Feb 2009, 14:37 pm
# Puma: ja Puma, i watched the one about the ******* in your village
regular eden you live in when you are in these parts.
10 Feb 2009, 14:39 pm
# WP Till I Die: Topic for another day but 500 slaughtered woman and children will never be collateral damage to me..
10 Feb 2009, 14:39 pm
# rangerman:
Now that is a BRILLIANT idea, rangerman.
Let me make a few phone calls – something like that would be very, very popular.
10 Feb 2009, 14:41 pm
# Corndog: what money….his agent was bullsh*t**g…its called establishing a barganing position.
10 Feb 2009, 14:43 pm
# rangerman: Yeah its a really beautiful there. Miss it when up here. Just before I left saw about 25 Impala must have had about 7 brand spanking new ones with. Could have been born about a day before they could walk but just. Great place that.
Now stuck up here for another month or so and will go back down in April.
So much rain up here hear the thunder coming again. Will wait another 5 minutes if it comes will have to turn off the computer.
Good news though have some Shark supporters coming up this weekend and so it will be great to watch the game with them. Cant wait. Thats the biggie this weekend.
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