Steyn’s French freedom
9 Mar 2010
Frans Steyn talks to SA Rugby magazine about playing for Racing Metro, his relationship with Peter de Villiers, and why inside centre is his preferred position.
Bonjour, Frans. You’ve been at Racing Metro for five months. Parlez vous Français?
Do you want a serious answer or one that’s going to make me look good? The club organises two-hour French lessons every Monday and while I’m keen to learn, I’m finding it very difficult. The teacher’s English isn’t very good, so there are also a few comical moments where I battle to tell her I don’t understand what she’s saying.
What’s the extent of your vocabulary?
I know about five phrases, but I’m not getting downhearted. I’ll be over here for three years, so it will be a lonely life if I don’t manage to learn the language. The club has organised the lessons, but I’m doing it for myself. It would make my life a lot easier. For example, the French captain Lionel Nallet doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak French. When we talk, it’s all hand gestures and miming until we come to some sort of understanding. I reckon in about two years I’ll know how to speak the language.
You’re in the same team as Sébastien Chabal, who is notoriously averse to speaking English in his own country. Have you managed to win him over?
Chabal can speak English, don’t let him fool you. The other day he was telling me in colourful English how as a South African I’ve brought some hot weather [30°C] up north. He’s a tough player with a hardman persona, but in the change room and in training he’s always making jokes. As a rugby player, he’s been around for more than a decade so I can learn a lot from him.
A lot of South Africans take the gap after finishing school and travel to Europe to see a bit of the world. What countries have you managed to visit during your stay?
Paris is very central so it’s easy to hop on a train or plane if you want to visit countries like Italy or Spain. In South Africa, obviously you have to spend a lot more time and money travelling anywhere.
You’ve said before how difficult it was to go from living in Bloem to living in Durban. What’s it like living in Paris?
It’s really difficult when you don’t know the language. From taking a cab to buying food – it can be very frustrating. You ask the people if they speak English and they answer, ‘No, I don’t speak English’, which tells you that they can speak it, but they just don’t want to. It’s another reason why I have to improve my French. I’m lucky that Racing has given me this opportunity despite my inability to speak French. I know that at some clubs they make you study French for six months before they even allow you to play rugby. Jacques Cronjé [Biarritz] and Gerrie Britz [Perpignan] have told me how they first struggled in the team environment. All the instructions are in French.
Have you made many friends since moving to France? What do you guys do with your spare time?
We have former Stormers lock Francois van der Merwe here as well as the brothers Bernard and Willie le Roux, and we often get together to have a braai and chat in Afrikaans. Otherwise there are okes from Fiji and Samoa, and former Hurricanes fullback Brent Ward. Brent really took me under his wing when I first arrived and showed me a bit of the city.
What was the message from the coaching staff when you joined Racing Metro? Have they instructed you on how to play?
[Laughs] They haven’t really told me what to do! We don’t have a set game plan as such, we just play what we see. I enjoy this immensely as I get to run a lot more than I used to. The Sharks also embraced this kind of rugby, but if you were an experienced player, as I was towards the end, you had more responsibility. You weren’t given the same freedom as the younger guys. At Racing, you have that freedom to make mistakes. There isn’t that kind of pressure or responsibility.
How have you adjusted to the style of the French game? Do you feel it suits your natural abilities?
Definitely. I can’t say that playing for the Springboks or Sharks didn’t suit my strengths, but in France they want you to try new things. The crowd lives for the spectacle. If you try something outrageous and it doesn’t come off, they’ll still applaud you for trying. The supporters back you through thick and thin.
How do the French supporters in the north compare to those in the south?
When you play down south, they’ll boo you when you touch the ball or line up a shot at goal. You quickly realise they are just a very passionate bunch who, like the Racing fans, back their team to the end.
And in comparison with South African rugby supporters?
Things are very different in South Africa. Back home, if you get a bit behind on the scoreboard, your supporters tend to lose faith. In South Africa, we are much more results-driven and are more afraid to lose. In France, they aren’t afraid to lose, they just look to play exciting rugby. I remember being part of the Sharks team that lost to the Waratahs in the semi-final of the 2008 Super 14. We had an awesome team, but we were just afraid of losing. We probably could have put 30 to 40 points on the board if we had backed ourselves more. It’s difficult to compare France and South Africa, though, as rugby is much bigger in South Africa.
What were the rugby reasons for signing with Racing Metro?
I admired the tradition of the club. Racing Club de France has been around since 1882 and was one of the first rugby clubs in Europe. The stadium they played at was used to host the 1900 Olympic Games. They may not have always been competitive at the highest level, but there is a lot of tradition and I was keen to be a part of it.
There’s always plenty of confusion when it comes to foreign-based players representing the Springboks. Do you know where you stand in terms of eligibility, and has Peter de Villiers spoken to you about coming back for the 2011 World Cup?
We haven’t spoken at all. I spoke to Ruan Pienaar and Schalk Burger when they were on tour last November, and they gave me a bit of the team news. I send them all SMSs before a big Test to wish them good luck, but I never hear from the coach. I don’t expect to, considering how much talent there is in South Africa.
How do you feel about the Springboks’ foreign selection policy?
Look, I would love to play in next year’s World Cup. It’s the biggest event in our sport and nobody wants to miss out. It’s a huge honour and privilege. I believe that anyone playing for clubs around the world should be eligible to represent their country. Unfortunately, that’s not my decision, and I don’t criticise the decision that’s been made. Maybe Peter doesn’t believe I’m good enough to play for the Boks. If that is the case, I’m going to work even harder to get myself back into the team.
You’re only 22, but it feels like coaches and critics have been debating the point of your best position for a decade. Your thoughts?
When I first arrived here I played fullback for a couple of games, but since then I’ve settled in well at inside centre. It’s the first time in my career that I’ve played 10 games in a row in one position. I learnt a lot when I was playing with guys like Butch James and Percy Montgomery at the Sharks, and I’m learning a lot playing next to Andrew Mehrtens at Racing. I’m not sure how long Mehrts will be around so I’m learning as much as I can. He may not be a centre, but he still knows what’s required of a No 12 at the highest level.
Has he helped you with your kicking?
It’s very strange to see Mehrts practising his kicking. Sometimes he just slots two goal kicks at captain’s practice and that’s it for the day. He then goes on to slot all his kicks in the next match. It goes to show that different things work for different people. I can watch him and take what I can, but ultimately I have to do things my own way.
You’ve lost 7kg since joining Racing. Why did you feel you needed to slim down?
When I first got here, it rained a lot and I spent a lot of time training. Apart from that, I made a conscious decision that I wanted to become a more mobile player. Towards the end of last year I was just running straight and using my bulk to smash it up. I want to be more agile, an attribute you need in an environment like France.
What do you hope to gain from playing in the Top 14, a tournament that is of a lower standard than the Currie Cup?
The two competitions are completely different and I’m reluctant to say one is better or worse than the other. In some ways, the Top 14 is slower because of the conditions, but then it’s faster because there’s more running and less kicking. You might say the standards here are lower, but I couldn’t be training harder than I am at the moment.
Is there anything you miss about playing rugby in South Africa?
I miss my friends – guys like Ruan and Johann Muller, who were in the team when I first started at the Sharks. I suppose I miss the weather too.
Do you feel the move to France was necessary, not just in terms of broadening horizons and sharpening your skills, but also necessary in order to escape the limelight in South Africa for a while?
At the end of last year, I was 22 and had played for the Boks and Sharks since 2006. I never want to get used to something or get bored of something I love. I just needed something different, and I decided I wanted to make the move now instead of when I’m older. I do miss playing for the Boks. I still want to play for them, but I want to be able to enjoy the experience of playing in France and the off-field challenges. As far as the limelight is concerned, I’ve always enjoyed being approached on the street by fans. At the same time, I’ve also enjoyed being a relative unknown in France when I walk down the road to the shop.
Do you miss the pressure of playing international rugby week in, week out?
Racing are the underdogs so there’s never any pressure. I miss the pressure of playing against the best, and also the pressure of being part of a big team like the Boks.
Schalk Brits told SA Rugby magazine recently that young South African players should go to Europe sooner rather than later. Do you agree?
I’m a bit of a screw-up. I’m a different case, so I don’t know if I should be giving advice! It’s even a risk when you’re 29 or 30 to come over here, because by then you’re likely to be married with kids. What if your family struggles to settle? The great thing for me is that I don’t have to worry about those kinds of responsibilities, I can just focus on my rugby and enjoy myself. If I wanted to go play rugby in Iceland, there’d be no pressure to stay. For me, it’s great to have that kind of freedom.
Have you given any thought to your career in the long term? Any ambitions of representing the Springboks in 100 Tests?
I want to play rugby for the Springboks until I can’t walk anymore, like Os du Randt. I have my eye on 50, but maybe my Bok days are over, hey [laughs]. I don’t know about 100. I want to play for my country as long as possible, but I’d never want to be in a situation where the coach was just pushing me through my last 10 Tests to reach 100. In three years I will have completed my contract, and then I will decide what I’m going to do. Hopefully by then, South Africa and the rest of the world will have a different view on players playing outside their country. Ultimately, I believe that if you’re good enough, you should be picked. I know Jean de Villiers is loving it at Munster, and he’ll be a better player for it. If we’re good enough, why shouldn’t we be picked? We haven’t gone overseas because we are disloyal to 
South Africa. Rugby is my only job and it could end tomorrow. You need to make rational decisions in any job and in some instances that means moving out of your comfort zone. That’s what I did and it was definitely the right decision.
By Jon Cardinelli
– This article first appeared in the March issue of SA Rugby magazine. Click here to subscribe
49 Comments
9 Mar 2010, 07:57 am
The Boks need this Dragon!!!!!!!!
9 Mar 2010, 08:13 am
I remember those kicks against the AB’s…. from our 10m…
hell they were rattled…
naw… how the Sharks left him out to dry is imo a insult to him… booing him in Derbs…
i rate this laaitie….
seen him miss only a few tackles in all the games he played…
9 Mar 2010, 08:21 am
I am not the biggest Frans Steyn fan but it really does sound like he has grown up somewhat – a very interesting interview. It beats the normal – “Ja, the people are great” and “Ja I am enjoying my rugby” and “Ja, Paris is beautful”. He sounds pretty depressed about South African rugby and the role he has to play. Three years overseas will do him good – that is if he decides to return to SA!
The French hate speaking English because they hate the English as a nation – Le Roast Beef. So whenever I am over there and need to communicate, I start off by speaking Afrikaans. That way they know I am not a Pom, and often think I am Dutch or German, and are far more willing to speak English with me.
9 Mar 2010, 08:23 am
Mmmm….seems to me that the ‘wonderkid’ is growing up.
9 Mar 2010, 08:24 am
Frans frolicking in France with *** abandon.
9 Mar 2010, 08:51 am
Who else can would you have at 15 for the boks in a starting WC team, PDV must wake the f…. up
Dantalian……dont matter, that fairy can kick from 10m inside our half
9 Mar 2010, 08:53 am
He would be the first name on my bok team sheet. Nobody begrudged lomu for his talent (read size) why begrudge Frans his ability to do what others can’t. This article puts into perspective the narrow mindedness of not picking oversea players. I would suggest, as a compromise, that in order to first represent the boks you need to do it from within RSA. That would keep the youth here and then once you have made it, anywhere will do. just a thought
9 Mar 2010, 08:58 am
It will be a very sad if Frans watches the 2011 RWC on TV.
Come on PDV, call the lad up.
9 Mar 2010, 08:58 am
Oh right…
This is the copy I DID NOT receive on my subscription…
9 Mar 2010, 08:59 am
@Observer: I agree with your thoughts. Only previously capped ‘Boks should be eligible if playing oorsee.
9 Mar 2010, 08:59 am
I blame those arrogant Sharks for the loss of Steyn. They did not back him at all. A sad case severe player mismanagement.
9 Mar 2010, 08:59 am
@Oubaas2009: Why don’t you buy him tickets to the games then?
9 Mar 2010, 09:04 am
I’m a bit of a screw-up.
Brilliant, love his “new” attitude. All the best Fransie. Enjoy it.
9 Mar 2010, 09:08 am
yeah he has not been treated well by rugby in South Africa… all the best to him… may he return sooner rather than later…
9 Mar 2010, 09:09 am
@WOLFMAN21: 12. Now there’s a thought! I would definitely be on TV with Frans next to me.
@RedLion: 11. If you look deep enough you can blame the Sharks for everything. I think the Lions playing Vodacom cup next year will be due to the Sharks? Maybe they sent **** Muir there to destroy the pussys?
9 Mar 2010, 09:16 am
@Oubaas2009: If they can spot you behind his mop of hair! It will be interesting to see how he is playing at 12.
9 Mar 2010, 09:17 am
@PissAnt:
9 Mar 2010, 09:19 am
enjoy your time in france fransie…am glad you realised you’re not a flyhalf’s bum and hopefully you are expanding you game [i like the fact that you are adding agility to your repertoire, no point in barging thru people when you can take the gap]
All the best Fransie….
9 Mar 2010, 09:32 am
this dragon has really matured
impressive
9 Mar 2010, 09:33 am
@Oubaas2009: so you not blame the Sharks for the loss of Steyn? and you are happy with Goode running around playing super rugby.
Are you happy to know that another great mismanaged talent, Barrit will play for the Poms in RWC11?
9 Mar 2010, 09:37 am
No matter how dire franky steyn was at 10 he can’t be any worse than andy “swoop” goode
Also to think you have oupa terblanche at the back when you could have this guy?
Sharks what were you thinking ???
9 Mar 2010, 09:59 am
had they given him more than 10 striaght games at No10, we would now have two of the best flyhalves in the world vying for the top spot in the Bok team…!
9 Mar 2010, 10:10 am
@ufo: Frans Steyn is not a flyhalf. Even if he had a hundred games at 10, he still wouldn’t be a flyhalf. He needs a bit more space – 12, 13 or 15. He is a bit wasted on the wing.
9 Mar 2010, 10:14 am
only read this to see if the interviewer was going to ask if old frans would come down to the stormers lol ,so many articles like this …and would you ever consider joining the stormers in the future?!?!
9 Mar 2010, 10:22 am
@baw: Based on this interview, I can’t see him going back to the Sharks. Based on past signings, I doubt the Bulls would recruit him, I can’t see him going to the Cheetahs – unless they go from strength to strength over the next couple of years, and unless the Lions improve drastically, the only other team would be the Stormers – depending on what happens with the Spears.
So, if he does decide to return, chances are good it would be to the Stormers, unless he signs for Melbourne!
9 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
I couldn’t find the portion about his “fractured relationship” with PdV as it says on the cover of the magazine. A bit misleading – alluding to some sensational fight or some such, yet there is no animosity or anything of the sort. It is merely a case of Steyn being out of contact with the coach – something he new beforehand will happen.
9 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
@WOLFMAN21: haha ! leave frans alone hes our prodigy! blacks his colour
9 Mar 2010, 10:38 am
@WOLFMAN21: talking nonsense mate ,why wont the bulls sign him? i tell you any franchise in the world would pay large amounts of cash for that kid …you just hoping he would go to the stormers
9 Mar 2010, 10:45 am
@baw: I am a Bulls fan, so would kinda hope the Bulls would make an exception for a matured and imporved Frans Steny!
But, the Bulls tend to back their inhouse talent and the most high profile recent purchases were Pretorius and Wikus van Heerden. Based on past practices, I doubt they would pay Steyn millions.
What he says here about the Sharks could be a little eye opener into their current malady.
9 Mar 2010, 10:53 am
Love to have him back in the Bok team (but at fullback not centre)
9 Mar 2010, 11:12 am
Steyn was (is) hopelessly overated. Apart from one or two prodigious drop goals what has he done? He doesnt have the speed of hand to foot to be a flyhalf, dies with the ball at 12 and does not want to play anywhere else.
9 Mar 2010, 11:12 am
I never knew he was so eloquent .
9 Mar 2010, 11:24 am
How can he have lived in France for 5 months and not be able to speak any French. Either he is just plain stupid or can’t be bothered to learn the language. You also need more than 2 hours a week to learn the language. And yes most of the French can speak English but why should they… I don’t think a French person would go to Bloemfontein and start speaking French to the locals.
Other than that I saw him playing against Montpelier the other day and “Francois Schtun” as the French pronounce it didn’t really have the greatest game – he was running around like a bit of a headless chicken at times. In previous games he has looked quite good and he still has his massive boot.
9 Mar 2010, 11:44 am
JC, it is parlez-vous francais. When francais is used in a sentence as an adjective or the language it should not be capitalised. I also assume you don’t call Frans Mr. Steyn so no need for you to be on vous terms… and perhaps seeing as this was going into a publication it should have been researched rather than just stuck in there because everyone knows that phrase – or apparently not as you have shown.
9 Mar 2010, 11:50 am
“Top 14, a tournament that is of a lower standard than the Currie Cup”
LOL
OMG i can’t stop laughing…
9 Mar 2010, 11:56 am
@jauzy19: I missed that one – I am guessing JC has not watched much Top 14 then.
9 Mar 2010, 12:29 pm
@WOLFMAN21:
Oh come one Wolfman, it has been showen many times that a large percentage of Bulls players were developed at other unions, at least at young age!
Check which players comes from which u21 sides and then come make your claims.
9 Mar 2010, 12:34 pm
Stupid to sign a 3 year deal so close to a RWC. Maths is clearly not Fransie’s strong point.
9 Mar 2010, 12:43 pm
Glad he is enjoying himself in France.
But it seems this Wunderkind doesnt know what he wants really.
He really prefers the position “he is doing well at that time”.Because last yr after Tri-Nations he was stating that he prefers playing 15 as it gives him more freedom etc etc(note: e had just kicked 2 50m penalties and was playing well there)
During 2009 prior ro being named starting 15 for Boks,having not had the best season at 12 for Sharks,he rescinded back to the “I want to play flyhalf” rhetoric..
Now its…I want to play 12 etc..
IMHO he is a 15
And the decision to go to France was one made out of petulance and not being favoured/darling at the time.Then he had a successful 2nd half of Tri Nations-rhetoric changed…
9 Mar 2010, 13:14 pm
@WP_: I think Maths is his very strong point, he knew exactly how much he would be earning over the next 3 years.
9 Mar 2010, 13:25 pm
Really good interview
Agree the boks need him. The man is born to play rugby.
9 Mar 2010, 13:27 pm
15 or 12 are his positions.
For the Boks 15 as i would have JVD at 12. In time he could become the incubent 12.
At the last WC he was absolutely superb at 12. Solid defense and some lovely breaks.
9 Mar 2010, 13:42 pm
Frans is dangerous when you give him free reigns….put him in a box and all you get is another rugby-robot.
I think he would flourish under the current laws in S14.
9 Mar 2010, 15:18 pm
@RedLion: I agree with you. The Sharks management of Frans and Ruaan for that matter has been terrible. There’s a rot in the Sharks management at present.
Although is seems he would’ve left anyway, the Sharks haven’t done themselves any favours in the event he decides to come back to SA.
It will be sad if he doesn’t play for the Boks in the WC. His performances in the 3N last year totally demoralized the opposition.
9 Mar 2010, 16:49 pm
Some very insightful thoughts from the young man and he seems to be thinking through his rugby.
I agree with him 12 is his best position by a mile.
He´s a natural there. Stop stuffing him around and play him at 12. Finally we have some deadly centres both first team and subs…
imagine
12 De Villiers
12 Frans Steyn/ Wynand Olivier
13 Jacques Fourie
13 Juan de Jongh
Killer combos whichever way you look at it. Just need another really solid 13.
Perhaps Ebersohn will step up this year. His size worries me though. We always have old Adi to fall back on. But he´s getting a bit long in the tooth.
9 Mar 2010, 19:22 pm
Ebersohn has bulked up, he now weighs 86 kg’s
9 Mar 2010, 21:00 pm
The Parisians are a bunch of pricks and they can nuke the place anytime if they wish…
Just get Frans out first.
Are my feelings clear enough?
@Slumtown: Ebersohn was pointe dout by a kiwi Reunions commentator as having come out fo line a few times against the Canes, and was criticising teh canes fro not going down his channel. He needs to watch hmself and his enthusiasm. This is not sevens – this is the 15 man game and teamwork is all important.
7 Apr 2010, 07:32 am
I see De Villiers side of the story on not wanting over-seas based players (to keep ‘em in the country) but why the hell leave this monster of a player out, flip, if we have problems in the backline, he can fix ‘em! And don’t get my started on kicking!!!
16 Apr 2010, 13:30 pm
Picking overseas players costs just too much many with too much management overhead.
if you take:
BJ Botha
CJ Botha
Joe van Niekerk
Butch James
Fans Steyn
Jean de Villiers, etc
How much do you think it will cost to fly them in and out of SA. How will you track their progress? These guys as much as they earn will not pay for their own tickets. I think it makes sense while we are still doing good as a team to stick to local players.
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