Kick foreign policy to touch
23 May 2010
The fractured relationship between Frans Steyn and Peter de Villiers can be attributed to an archaic ideal that has no place in modern sport.
On Saturday, De Villiers announced the Springbok match 22 to play Wales on 5 June. Steyn was named at fullback, but according to reports, the Racing Metro star may miss the Test altogether, and hasn’t spoken to the Bok coach since leaving for France at the conclusion of the 2009 Tri-Nations.
In a frank interview with SA Rugby magazine earlier in the year, Steyn confirmed the lack of communication between him and De Villiers. A dedicated Bok with an ambition to play 100 Tests for his country, he voiced his frustration when asked about South Africa’s attitude towards foreign-based players.
It’s an issue where Steyn and De Villiers don’t see eye to eye, and despite the player’s wish to feature in the 2011 World Cup squad, it’s looking increasingly unlikely.
De Villiers reiterated his stance in an interview with the Weekend Argus, stating that he doesn’t want to pick South Africans based abroad. De Villiers feels that for these players to be role models, they have to play Super Rugby and expose themselves to the South African public.
Keo.co.za’s information is the foreign policy is not set in stone and that it’s the coach’s prerogative to pick players whether they are based in South Africa or not. Last year, Steyn was released from the Sharks and SA Rugby before the Tri-Nations commenced in July. Essentially, Steyn started five of the six Tests, Tests the Springboks won, as a foreign-based player.
Steyn was later ignored when De Villiers selected his squad to tour Europe. It must be noted that when the Boks were hit by injury later in the tour, De Villiers called up the Ireland-based trio of Jean de Villiers, CJ van der Linde and BJ Botha. The Bok coach explained the move as one of convenience, but again stressed that players should be based in South Africa if they wanted to play in the World Cup.
The home nations, France and Argentina are free to pick players based in other countries, but the Sanzar nations refuse to allow their players to compete in foreign competitions. South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are scared that the relaxing of this rule would witness a mass departure as top players venture abroad to take up lucrative contracts that the southern unions just can’t match.
While an exodus may affect the domestic competitions in these countries and the standard of Super Rugby, it should have no bearing on Test selection. European clubs usually release their top players for Tests, and Racing has already granted Steyn the freedom to fly back to South Africa if the Boks pick him.
In 2008, De Villiers picked John Smit (Clermont), Victor Matfield (Toulon), Percy Montgomery (Perpignan) and Butch James (Bath). The first three completed a move back to South Africa and signed contracts with local unions, while James returned to Bath after the Tri-Nations. Springbok rugby benefited from the return of Smit, Matfield and Montgomery, but lost something with the exclusion of James.
The Bok flyhalf hasn’t been used since, and his re-signing with Bath and the Bok coach’s rigid stance suggest he won’t come into the World Cup reckoning, unless of course, something or somebody gives.
Steyn’s contracted for three seasons at Racing, and is available to the Boks but not to a South African franchise until after the World Cup. Ruan Pienaar could also move to Ulster at the end of 2010, a move that will place his World Cup ambitions in jeopardy.
Last year, Saru Regan Hoskins told this website the foreign policy wasn’t so much a rule as a guideline, and that one or two players based elsewhere could be considered for Test selection. If you need to maintain some sort of control, why not establish a finite number or quota of foreign-based players? This would prevent a mass exodus, but allow top players some opportunity to expand their horizons and earn some Euros.
Professional sportsmen want to represent their country, but they also want to make the most of their gifts in a limited time-frame. De Villiers and the South African administration need to ask themselves why a player can’t be a role model if he is playing at an overseas club, and why exposure in the green and gold is not enough to inspire South Africa’s youth.
If it’s a matter of making an exception to the rule, then by all means make it. Steyn has proved invaluable to the Bok cause after winning the World Cup, beating the British & Irish Lions and capturing the Tri-Nations title. It’s clear that he still has something to offer the Boks, so there’s no logical reason to punish him for playing his domestic rugby in the Top 14.
By Jon Cardinelli
138 Comments
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23 May 2010, 18:49 pm
@grant10(grant10)-98: Anyway, got to go. Well done on the win. Just remember to try and be objective, you tend to judge John and Brok on a different scale.
23 May 2010, 18:52 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-99: ja….odwa has not set the world alight….hurdles in space is special…..wonder if bulls will play him….jaco vd westhuisen did well defensively vs saders.
Stormers will have to really up it or its tickets ….
23 May 2010, 18:53 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-101: i dont like smit at 3…he must play at 2 then i will be more than accomodating.
cheers
23 May 2010, 18:53 pm
kick made from outside 22, Foreign Policy throw in.
23 May 2010, 18:54 pm
@grant10(grant10)-102: Ya Bulls looking good.
23 May 2010, 18:56 pm
@grant10(grant10)-103: I know Grant, but you like Brok at 3. That is what confuses me. Anyway, gotta go. Will never change your mind.
23 May 2010, 19:01 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-106: its UFO that is a massive Brock Harris fan.
I am a BJ Botha fan….i think you have us conused.
23 May 2010, 19:06 pm
@grant10(grant10)-100: grant where are these sources coming from?
also would of preferred that backline
23 May 2010, 19:12 pm
can someone please explain this backline? why play Pienaar at 10 and Butch at 12 just to accommodate Januarie at 9, who we all know is rubbish?? why dear God why
23 May 2010, 19:17 pm
@Seven(Seven)-108: Die Beeld newspaper….
we talk rugby
sharksworld….
to name but a few
23 May 2010, 19:18 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-109: Butch should rather play 1 half at 10 than a game at 12….
hew is doing himself a disservice imo.
23 May 2010, 19:24 pm
keo
you guys should do some interviews ith the overseas boks in the run up to the wales test….
will be fascinating to hear how they feel about the opportunity, etc….
23 May 2010, 19:27 pm
What a load of nonsense ever, I normally agree with PA and with TAC but lord, Rugby has to move forward, since when do footballers not get selected if they play in another country???????? Brazil Have FIVE WORLD CUPS TO THERE NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LMFAO
23 May 2010, 19:30 pm
@grant10(grant10)-111:
Wales team will be something like this,
1. Gethin Jenkins (went off injured today)
2. Matthew Rees
3. Jones
Lions front row, good players. James will probably get the nod at 1 if Jenkins doesn’t make it.
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
Decent players but not a lot of power there
6. Andy Powell
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ryan Jones
Good trio, their openside is slightly raw at test level but a good prospect.
9. Mike Phillips
10. Stephen Jones
11. Shane Williams
12. Jamie Roberts
You’ll know these four from the Lions tour, they all started tests.
13. Andrew Bishop
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Lee byrne
Bishop is average but Halfpenny and Byrne are talented (albeit in average form)
23 May 2010, 19:36 pm
thanks very much for that BH….
yes…i like the 15 …Byrne…i know sharks tried to sign him.
those backs with Roberts….williams and halfpenny got some class….
just wish i understood the james at 12 choice….the more i think about it the more insane it seems….
I would be far more comfortable with JDVand Juan de jongh shoring up that midfield …in there prefereed positions as well…..
then either ruan or butch at 10…..trying to accomodate butch at 12 has a knock on effect that will hurt boks.
23 May 2010, 19:37 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-114: That is a solid team, but they will miss James Hook at 13.
This will be a very tight game especially since the Bok team has been strung together and haven’t played together as a unit. I also expect a type of Barbarian gameplan from the Boks without too much physicality after a long flight.
Jamie Roberts is the best 12 on the globe IMO.
Also, how wise was it to tell Gio Aplon and Francois Louw they would make their test debut before the Super14 final kicked off?
23 May 2010, 19:40 pm
helleva big bok front row with smai at 2…bj and cj….
Hope they get a good understanding going in the few training sessions at there disposal…..if that unit can gel could be a very good option come wc 2011.
23 May 2010, 19:45 pm
@grant10(grant10)-115:
James played 12 outside Pienaar against Connacht under Jake White before the 2007 World Cup, he actually did a lot of the play-making but he’s not an inside centre. Juan De Jongh would’ve made more sense than JDV at 13 too.
Byrne is something of a sicknote, Sharks have had enough of that so well avoided. Great player when in form however.
Joe Van Niekerk had another top game today.
Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
@willievz(willievz)-116: Roberts is a great 12 but if the All Blacks get Sonny Bill Williams, the Boks and Wallabies will have to be on their guard because he is something special.
23 May 2010, 19:51 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-118: ja….i remember james at 12…played a couple of games there for sharks if i remember correctly….he is a playmaker 10….we have jdv and f steyn who can play at 12…also Olivier from the bulls…so its a silly and unneccessary stop gap move that can only harm James bok ambitions imo.
23 May 2010, 19:54 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-118: more and more rumours relating to Big Joe and schalk brits coming home to lions….Butch as well…and smit apparently already signed at lions….
Will be fascinating to see how things pan out leading to wc 2011….very interesting indeed.
Throw in the return of bj bu super 15….and i am sure cj as well…leaves the stage set for a fascinating campaign.
Do you rate englands chances on the june tour?
23 May 2010, 20:10 pm
Hey JC, I just scratched my balls – do you want to write a story about it?
23 May 2010, 20:41 pm
Whatever with this team, stupid selection stupid test, guys are building for CCup and deserve a break.
Completely retarded in my view.
23 May 2010, 20:44 pm
“Archaic ideals” are good sometimes if not most times. Why the fk must we import players to play for the boks. If they want to go play overseas they must go, but I agree with PDVs stance that local players should be chosen above those who chose to go overseas, for starters one can better asses players who play locally.
23 May 2010, 21:24 pm
@byoboy(byoboy)-123: “…for starters one can better asses players who play locally.”
I am not sure if this always hold true. Actually, the contrary can easily apply.
Many average domestic players “shine” in local outfits because the star players around them make them look good. These players often get selected, and get shown up at international level.
However, we know what we have in some foreign based players such as Steyn, BJ and Big Joe. If these players continue to shine in unfamiliar cultures, conditions and structures, it tells me something about their quality and BMT.
23 May 2010, 21:28 pm
@grant10(grant10)-120: Lions must have found the pot at the end of the rainbow then
We’ve got a strongish squad but only ever beaten the Aussies in Australia twice so not optimistic of series victory, looking for performance.
23 May 2010, 21:34 pm
@grant10(grant10)-120: do the Lions have the cash?
23 May 2010, 21:37 pm
I think that ‘a guideline’ not to select overseas players for the Bok team is how it should stay.
That way one can choose such a player if you are out of options and in trouble, or even if you ‘just want to’.
At the same time you do not openly encourage/facilitate an exodus of players to Europe. We cannot compete contract-wise with their chequebooks.
Coaches should not make absolute statements though – something like: “I would prefer not to select overseas players if I have good local options” should be the angle, I think.
23 May 2010, 21:47 pm
Look its simple.
A Bok coach has a lot of other stuff to do than watch ALL the games potentially good SA players are involved in – AS WELL AS the super 14, currie cup, and international games to keep an eye on the comings and goings of the opposition.
Thats why the coach discourages it. And I would too. But for proven matchwinners, like Steyn, you dont really need to watch his games to know he has talent, do you. having said that, look what playing in France dod for Matfield’s game!! he sucked when he came back (they were using the best lock in the world as a freaking loosie just because he was the fittest guy on the field FFS). so maybe he gets invited to teh bok training camps to see if he has lost anything, but his inclusion is not a given.
I would be interested in Steyns development as 12 with the French – I wonder if his distributon is better?
Also, steyn must not EXPECT things to happen for him – there are a lot of proven matchiwinners in the Bok setup – he is nothing special. Plus a good attituide goes a long way.
23 May 2010, 21:49 pm
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-128: Sounds very sensible – agreed!
23 May 2010, 21:53 pm
Just as another possible influencing factor – what do the sponsors of the relevant teams/competitions want, as far as familiar faces throughout the year in local competitions is concerned?
Or is it not a factor at all?
23 May 2010, 22:57 pm
lmao @ Pissant not knowing who Jose Mourinho is and not caring…
23 May 2010, 23:04 pm
grant10
Sorry boet I won’t for one second believe all that BS speculation about possible “Lions signings”.they ain’t done sh*t,last yr they did sma thing-linked to everything Tom,**** & Harry (BOD,Byrne,JDup,JDV,Shane Williams,Cronje etc) and all they came up with is Mokoena,Chavanga,Lombaard,Delport and off course marquee signing:CARLOS SPENCER…go figure
Worst record in history of Superrugby-that’s what is tangible right now.hype of signings is about as true as “Jimmy Hoffa buried in Yankee stadium” urban legend.
Only true rumour that’s almost concrete is Waylon Murray-not on good terms with Plumtree.
24 May 2010, 00:58 am
PDV must stick to what he preaches instead
of this foreign policy bullshit that can
hide BEE?/AA selections.
He should not wheel out a policy when he wants too.
Get some spine PDV
is it in or out? You cannot say no Foreign players then select them,
you are starting stink like the SARU management.
A professional player should be able to ply his trade where he wants but if he is to recieve Performance training his must now pay Mullah for it and sign contracts.
This works both ways…
Steyn in my eyes was to greedy too young and got a big head. Nothing the French league wont sort out.
24 May 2010, 06:32 am
The All Blacks have the same policy – not sure about the Aussies but probalby the same.
Isn’t the issue here – what is best for SA Rugby and the Boks? Not necessarily what is best for the player or the coach.
I lived in the UK for many years and followed the Rugby Premiership/Heineken Cup etc. I saw from as far back as F Pienaar and Gavin Johnson playing for Saracens a steady increase in foreign based players. I wasn’t convinced that it was the right way to go but England did win a world cup through that period so not sure if the argument stacks up.
There must be an interest to see our players week in week out but why shouldn’t we trade that for Bok success year in year out? The idea seems old fashioned but the reality is a modern issue. Perhaps the compromise is to limit foreign based players to 3 at all times. You cannot send mixed messages for example the Wales test which has confused me as to exactly what the policy might be on overseas players. By the way what EXACLTY is the policy?
24 May 2010, 11:01 am
The biggest problem we have in South Africa is selection on merit.
As far as rugby goes there can be no doubt that the World Cup sqaud should consist of our best players and best coaches. I understand that had the Sharks not been robbed blind in Oz and had they won two more matches they too could have made the Super14 semis. The Cheetahs have also performed better. Thus one can only conclude that our rugby is strong with really good depth.
Our big problem is firstly that we are NOT likely to select our best squad and secondly that the Bok coaching staff are far from our best. Best coaches include Rassie, Venter, Heyneke and Mallet.
We have an opportunity to dominate world rugby but there is every possibility that we could shoot ourselves in the foot.
That said the bok sqaud has lots of experience and the players themselves could pull off a WC title defence – even with these problesm its not impossible.What is virtually certain is that we will not get the best out of our talent under the current regime.
24 May 2010, 11:08 am
@Beeno(Beeno)-135: oh so you think Alister has nothing to do with the stormers having their best season?? its all thanks to rassie???? the cheetahs?? playing better since rassie left???
u d.u.m.b. s.h.i.t. !
24 May 2010, 11:22 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-132: agreed
the lions love throwing rumours around
there is nothing till its a signed deal and it aint
24 May 2010, 14:13 pm
@JC blah blah blah shut up
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