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, 15:47 pm
# greatest13gerber: I’m not joking! He looks horrible!
10 Feb 2009, 15:47 pm
# greatest13gerber:
Are you a religious man?
10 Feb 2009, 15:48 pm
# THE MAULER: He looked cute like that. And when you watch him he spends a total of 5 minutes taking the hair out of his eyes.
10 Feb 2009, 15:50 pm
# THE MAULER:
Your thinking of intolerance not hate
10 Feb 2009, 15:50 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
Maybe thats why he doesnt pass like some of these blogerrs say… he has hair in is eyes… not seeing a runner on his in/outside…
10 Feb 2009, 15:50 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
its style these days thes kids with their *** CT hairdos
# THE MAULER:
yes I was born NTvl christian upbringing
God, NTvl, Family, Country
in that order
10 Feb 2009, 15:51 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable: smileys nor working either
10 Feb 2009, 15:51 pm
well sarah its gonna be that granny of ours that slices jdv in half as he tackles him on saturday
10 Feb 2009, 15:52 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable:
The point is hate is extreme… thinking he is a d@@s(excuse the language) is ok….. but he is entitled to his own views and ways to express himself….
10 Feb 2009, 15:53 pm
uhm sarah imagine his comments of you when he see’s u lmao
10 Feb 2009, 15:53 pm
Somewhere in this rubble on the new Keo is there a S14 fixture list?
10 Feb 2009, 15:55 pm
# greatest13gerber:
Ok… just asking… I dont know the Bible as well as I should(trying) but it does say no hating… love thy neighbour as you love yourself… or something like that….
10 Feb 2009, 15:56 pm
# THE MAULER: No he doesn’t like passing cos he likes to be the one with all the glory.
# greatest13gerber: Excuse me? I’m gonna climb through your screen and kill you slowly and painfully
# sharks_lover: Jean de Villiers is gonna run circles around your beloved little Francois!
10 Feb 2009, 15:57 pm
# sharks_lover: huh?
10 Feb 2009, 15:57 pm
# sharks_lover:
Sarah is actually quite attractive.
In real life, Frans is actually a very nice oke who’s really calmed down in the last two years. I hope it continues – and the best way for that, I think, is to give him solid gametime at 15 – he can take over from Terblanche at the Sharks next year.
10 Feb 2009, 15:58 pm
# THE MAULER:
love thy neighbour ..unless that neighbour be WP born
10 Feb 2009, 15:58 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
be nice!
10 Feb 2009, 16:00 pm
What a massive thunderstorm. Nothing like a thunderstorm up on the highveld.
10 Feb 2009, 16:00 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
Ha…. well we will have to see on saterday wont we…
10 Feb 2009, 16:01 pm
# WP Till I Die: Tnx
And who’s side are you on anyway?
# ashley: Maybe later
10 Feb 2009, 16:01 pm
This Friday the rugby overlaps with the cricket!
I am looking for some first game Brumbie rustyness to get the Highlanders home in the first game.
hard to pick the Healing Crystals vs the Directionless Individuals up next
Lions have to be favourites against Cheetahs. I predict a great game of rugby regardless of the fact both sides will struggle again this season.
I think that the Chiefs are going to shock a few people and the Crusaders are going to do it hard in their first game up.
Canes will annihilate the Tahs. A 5 pointer.
Stormers vs Sharks. Hmmm. Would have to be Sharks. I hope not though because the Sharks have a good team and a great draw. Go the Stormers.
I will be backing my temporary home town Reds against the Bulls but it will all be in vein
10 Feb 2009, 16:01 pm
# greatest13gerber:
hehe…
10 Feb 2009, 16:02 pm
# THE MAULER: Yeah… agh I just want it to be saturday
10 Feb 2009, 16:03 pm
# THE MAULER: jeez mauler! Are you still (broke)BACKING steyn, talk about a fixation…may you still back him when he plays the same ”i am superman” type of game he displayed when he was a barbarian…that endeared him to all and sundry in the world… What a tool
10 Feb 2009, 16:03 pm
# WP Till I Die: 365 – That would be his best position. Think he would become our best 15 ever. For the Boks though cant see PdV playing him there. So let him just play at inside centre. He proved he could play there during the world cup.
10 Feb 2009, 16:04 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
I try to be on common sense’s side…
10 Feb 2009, 16:04 pm
# WP Till I Die: lol bro im just teasin sarah , i heard shes a cutie
maybe we should invite her to durbs lmao
10 Feb 2009, 16:05 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable: Hi Church, Pity NZ never won today. Just hope they do on Friday. Still have a chance to win the odi series.
10 Feb 2009, 16:05 pm
About Saturday:
Should I go in the normal Stormers jersey
OR
should I go in the jersey that I won?
10 Feb 2009, 16:05 pm
# WP Till I Die: Now that doesn’t work for me…
10 Feb 2009, 16:06 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable: agree with you synopsis but have to back the Sharks, sorry all.
Hi Puma, and Sarah and those who I have touched base with previously – how you all doing ??
10 Feb 2009, 16:06 pm
# Transformation aka Frans Tormation:
Jeez Transformer wannabe….
Still harping on about how you wish you had Steyns ability and instead would rather talk **** about him… really???? Get over it…
10 Feb 2009, 16:07 pm
that would be ‘your’ synopsis church – typo
10 Feb 2009, 16:08 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
Which one do you think will bring you luck??
10 Feb 2009, 16:08 pm
# Zulusharkess: ello ello ello… I am nervous as pi. You?
10 Feb 2009, 16:10 pm
# ashley: 331 – Good post. Like you say though if that comination fire 9,10,12 fire from the Sharks agree Stormers could be in trouble.
Think its 50/50 Could be any teams game on Saturday. Both have great players. Where we edge you would be the tight five. Just read though Beast may not play on Saturday but we have Carstens.
10 Feb 2009, 16:10 pm
# THE MAULER: hmmmm… the 2nd one brought me luck?…
I’m gonna go with the 2nd one.
10 Feb 2009, 16:10 pm
# SpringbokSarah: liewe saraitjie lol fransie is gonna murder poor jdv as he tried to intercept everything
10 Feb 2009, 16:10 pm
# Puma: comination = combination
10 Feb 2009, 16:10 pm
# Puma:
Yep. Just not enough runs.
Did you see the commentators joking about the local umpire avoiding his new car getting scratched today. Everyone accepts that the locals have been biased. It will be good to get 2 neutrals for the last game.
10 Feb 2009, 16:11 pm
# church – like chch but pronounceable:
I have the Brumbies for an even contest against the Highlanders in Dunedin, but for the Brumbies to pull away in the second half and take it by 7+.
The Blues will prove too classy for a solid Force team that historically are slow starters – Blues by 7+.
The Lions and Cheetahs game will be hard-fought and close – but I back the Cheetahs to just edge it.
I agree with you that the Crusaders will struggle against a fiery Chiefs outfit – Crusaders to just take it by 4 or 5.
The Waratahs will shock everyone by trouncing the Canes by 15+…but the “France of NZ” will then come back stronger than ever in the second round.
The Stormers v Sharks game must be the game of the weekend. Expect a hard-fought battle, Rassie calling uncontested scrums just after half-time, vomit on the sidelines…but Stormers will just nudge it with home ground support.
The Bulls, despite some lacklustre pre-season showings, with their depth, physicality and home ground advantage will be too much for the Reds to handle, and should win by 7+.
10 Feb 2009, 16:11 pm
tried = tries
10 Feb 2009, 16:12 pm
# sharks_lover: Fat chance! You gotta catch him 1st… and with Bekker there y’all better watch out!
10 Feb 2009, 16:13 pm
# WP Till I Die:
These are my picks, the only home teams to lose will be the Highlanders and the Stormers. Small winning margins because most teams will still be rusty.
Game 1: Highlanders v Brumbies: Brumbies by 5
Game 2: Force v Blues: Force by 6
Game 3: Lions v Cheetahs: Lions by 7
Game 4: Crusaders v Chiefs: Crusaders by 8
Game 5: Hurricanes v Waratahs: Hurricanes by 6
Game 6: Stormers v Sharks: Sharks by 8
Game 7: Bulls v Reds: Bulls by 9
10 Feb 2009, 16:13 pm
# Zulusharkess:
No apologies required
10 Feb 2009, 16:14 pm
# sharks_lover: Probably thats where FS is better than JdV is in the tackle. FS will have his channel covered for sure. Cant see a intercept by JdV. Then just hope not…….lol. Wont laugh though if it happens. Think we are going to see great things with FS and Ruan. Don’t care what anyone has to say about FS just damn pleased he is in the Sharks team.
10 Feb 2009, 16:14 pm
# RedLion: I don’t like you very much now
10 Feb 2009, 16:14 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
you won one of those signed jerseys?
if i were you, i’d go in the signed jersey and be the envy of every single person on that stand!
10 Feb 2009, 16:15 pm
# SpringbokSarah: Can’t wait for Saturday but so nervous too. It’s between yours and mine too so hoping we remain ‘pals’ no matter what ??
10 Feb 2009, 16:15 pm
# SpringbokSarah:
I am sorry but I had to pick the Sharkies
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