Frans fast-tracked into Bok set-up
9 Jun 2011
Frans Steyn won’t play for the Lions before representing the Springboks in the 2011 Tri-Nations and World Cup.
There’s been speculation of Steyn joining the Lions this season, and perhaps playing for the Currie Cup side before rejoining the Boks. Coach John Mitchell confirmed on Thursday that there have been no talks between the union and Saru to get Steyn in the Lions’ squad.
‘I certainly haven’t heard from Peter [de Villiers],’ said Mitchell. ‘He knows what my mobile number is and I have heard nothing as yet. But I wouldn’t play anyone anyway. It is far too late. The Lions culture is far too important than the request of an individual.’
Steyn was recently included in the 37-man Springbok training squad that will assemble in Durban on Sunday.
40 Comments
9 Jun 2011, 22:08 pm
Frans would just Stain the Lions Dragon culture
9 Jun 2011, 22:08 pm
No Lion this Dragon…….
9 Jun 2011, 22:08 pm
Bugger
9 Jun 2011, 22:10 pm
A Double Dragon post
9 Jun 2011, 22:18 pm
Frans Steyn is a mistake. Please go look at footage of his latest games. He has lost pace and picked up weight. The only place where he plays well is 12. If we are pinning our hopes on a 15 that kicks all the ball away and does not have pace we are probably going for the same gameplan that we had 4 years ago.
So please don’t blame Pdivvie if he picks YOUR favourites in Morne Steyn and Frans Steyn and a kicking gameplan is instilled.
9 Jun 2011, 22:19 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-5: Morne at 10, Aplon at 15. Frans on the bench.
9 Jun 2011, 22:20 pm
My first choice backline would be:
15.) Lambie, 14.) JP Pietersen, 13.) Jacque Fourie, 12.) Jean de Villiers, 11.) Gio Aplon, 10.) Peter Grant, 9 Fourie du Preez.
But if we are going for an out and out kicking game then pick your Steyns. I do not think the team will suffer too much in terms of kicking by having Du Preez, Grant and Lambie there.
9 Jun 2011, 22:29 pm
If the only thing Frans offers is a big boot then id rather prefer Gio…better on the counter attack……however he should be given an opportunity to prove himself during the 3 nations
9 Jun 2011, 22:29 pm
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-4: Bow to Earl the Pearl lol
9 Jun 2011, 22:31 pm
Grant is no better then lambie in current form, yet Lambie has oodles of potential. So I’d put Lambie at 10.
I think Frans makes a better 12 as well. Hard to drop deVilliers though. I’d shift Aplon to 15.
Wing…mmmm, Habenero is not the X-factor monster he was in 2007, but he is a very very hard working wing. His defence can be improved on as he tends to shoot out at wrong times…must just work on his decision making. I think he still thinks he is as good as he was in ’07. The magic is gone, he must focus on the basics.
So for more empahsis on attack:
15. Aplon
14. JP
13. Fourie
12. Jean
11. Habana
10. Lambie
9. Fdp
Weakness there is Habana…some might say Aplon at 15 but he is good enough under high ball and a better defender then some give him credit for.
9 Jun 2011, 22:33 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-9: Yes I’m president of earls fan club…
9 Jun 2011, 22:36 pm
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-11: you the only member?
9 Jun 2011, 22:37 pm
This is the best backline we can pick, and it is a fact.
Aplon
JP
Fourie
de Villiers
Habana
Steyn
du Preez
Bench – Pienaar, Steyn
This will be the backs, unless injuries come into play
9 Jun 2011, 22:37 pm
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-10:
How do people figure that Grant is off form? The man is injured and now he is off form?? Please show where he was off form. Please display his kicking rate and error stats? I think he had one off game.
9 Jun 2011, 22:38 pm
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-10: Thats the backline i would pick…..except Morne at 10……Lambie too inexperienced for the Wc
9 Jun 2011, 22:38 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-13:
You might as well not have all these exciting players on the outside with Morne there.
9 Jun 2011, 22:39 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-13: agree with that
9 Jun 2011, 22:41 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-14: I never said he was off form, I said his form is no better then Lambies…read much?
9 Jun 2011, 22:44 pm
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-11: Yes, I’m recruiting..wanna join?
You get a free t-shirt with his face on the front when you do
9 Jun 2011, 22:45 pm
TURNS IMMEDIATELY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhmjwLMvLB0
9 Jun 2011, 22:45 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-14: Fact is Grants out of hand kicking is terrible…..pop gun boot…..i cant for the life of me understand why he cant improve this. He gets no distance on his kicks and come wc time…..under pressure in our own 22 he wont get us out much. If his out of hand kicking game was better then he would be ideal.
9 Jun 2011, 23:09 pm
I did not like the way SBW knocked off JDv in the Stormers game. Maybe horses for courses, with Steyn at 12 against the AB’s and Jean v the Wobblies?
9 Jun 2011, 23:12 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-16: Why? You don’t think the Boks or Bulls can score tries with Morne at 10?
9 Jun 2011, 23:26 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-23:
I certainly don’t, not with JDV at 12 next to Morne.
Our second phase ruck ball (after JDV takes the ball up from deep) is particularly slow.
9 Jun 2011, 23:31 pm
Rugby Student is not far wrong the speedy AB wings will run rings around plod 2 F. Steyn and M. Steyn is one singular dimensional metronome of a one track one dimension kick and chase specialist and that’s about all he’s got. And WO is the arse end of all midfield creativity, his great try scoring record in green and gold is testament to his great creative flair.
10 Jun 2011, 00:24 am
Frans Steyn has got fat and slow. His beeg head might be an issue, let alone his selfish play. It is a shame as he is a great talent, he has been garaunteed a spot without proving he is up to it. Kinda AA/BEE like but not.
I would play Aplon anyday until he improves enough.
10 Jun 2011, 03:54 am
Steyn aint that slow fellas….he sure wasn’t on the end of year tour. Besides, some cardio over the next month will take care of any fitness issues.Plus his passing game is very good, I still recall him releasing Spies against England.
I agree he has a bit of an EGO, but he is a damn good rugby player. How many guys are there with his skills, that weigh over a 100kg’s and stand at 1.9m tall; and can kick the ball like a son-of-a-*****. Plus he has that x-factor to be in the right place at the right time, and do the right thing.
Still, I’m not sure he’d make my team just right now, bench option for sure.
On Morne at 10. The bulls score plenty of tries with him there. He can do it, even with DeVillier. He does tend to play deep from 10 and the inside cut they use at the bulls from Olivier is quite predicatable – but effective. In any case he might not attack the line as Lambie does(or have the same time on the ball), or have the balance and poise of the exciting Ebersohn at 10 – but he is a machine, and reliable. His kicking is superb out of hand or at the posts, no complaints if he plays for the boks this world cup.
10 Jun 2011, 04:34 am
F. Steyn would really have benefited from a spell in sevens. Guys like him who are big often get used to relying on their bulk and tend not to look for space. He tends to rely on either his huge boot or runs the ball straight back into the opposition defenders. He is not the kind of fullback to spark something from the back and this makes him less of a threat as he is quite predictable. i would like to see him add a bit of variety to his game. This will also make his existing strengths more dangerous as the opposition won’t always expect him to employ them.
10 Jun 2011, 05:46 am
Defence wins world cups … thats why we have to go with that monster defender Aplon BA WA HA HA HA
I always wonder why when players like Frans Steyn are so ****, they get these enormous contracts, and the huge international clubs are not lining up for the likes of Aplon with bags full of cash.
10 Jun 2011, 06:37 am
@kevin w(kevin w)-29: Who says there aren’t overseas clubs eager to sign Aplon when he comes off contract? Russell and Pietersen got snapped up pretty quickly. Brits is playing in the UK and Bissie in Durban. Besides which there is nothing wrong with Aplon’s defence. People think because he is small he can’t tackle. Tackle is about heart and technique. I can tell you now that if The Boks had to rely on one man to make a trysaving tackle and that man was either Gio Aplon or Pierre Spies I would wish for Aplon every time.
10 Jun 2011, 07:03 am
@Earl is a Royal Genius…bow to him minions!(Sasori)-11: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH and now he is trying to bugger up the Stormers…..AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH
10 Jun 2011, 07:26 am
Frans Steyn therefore returns ENTIRELY on his own terms? PDV has to grovel to get him back?
10 Jun 2011, 07:49 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-32: What makes you think that?
10 Jun 2011, 08:09 am
Ha ha, the provincial bias! If the Boks want a booming boot, then Viljoen would surely be an option. The Kiwis and Walla’s would also quiver in their socks with his high kick off’s with guys like Burger, Pieterson, Bizzy, and Juan steaming down at them!
He is als a very elusive runner, and can spark great tries. So can Aplon, it’s just Aplon is a tad on the light side!
10 Jun 2011, 08:16 am
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-13: I dono about Habs at 11.
10 Jun 2011, 10:51 am
TheAgent – I Like your backline:-
Aplon
JP
Fourie
de Villiers
Habana
Steyn
du Preez
Bench – Pienaar, Steyn
Problem is where to put Butch? I guess it is a case of horses for courses and to play some of the tuffer players against the Island teams in RWC. APlon may get hurt in those games as is he is very small!!
On the EOYT last year F Steyn looksmore like a loosie now hedoes needto shed some wieght
10 Jun 2011, 11:15 am
I would love to be able to speak to Frans Steyn and ask him a little bit about what went on when he left. Specifically with regards to how the scenario was handled by both the Sharks and the Boks.
I get this feeling that he just has no motivation to play rugby in South Africa at all, and I doubt we will see him back at the Sharks. Something seems to have gone awry with that relationship as well.
If Francois should come back, I actually think he should do the honorable thing and play for the Cheetahs. It is after all where he developed his skills at age group level and they will need a centre when Robert Ebersohn signs with the Sharks.
Despite all the criticism Francois receives (and I must admit, I have my issues with his attitude as well), I think any of the SA unions would break their necks to get him and then boast like crazy about it when they do. That’s a fact. He may be a bit of a brat, and he has his moments on the field, but overall Francois Steyn remains a very special player.
@Cheetah 4 Eva(Cheetah 4 Eva)-34: I also like Riaan Viljoen. I think of all the fullback options available to us (apart from Steyn), Viljoen is quite possibly the best at the moment. I get this nasty feeling, Peter De Villiers thinks he can ‘wing it’ (excuse the pun) in that position by using JP Pietersen or Odwa Ndungane if he has to. Ndungane is surprisingly good as a fullback actually. His positional play is good, and he seems to know when to come into the attack. Only thing is, he doesn’t have much of a boot to speak of.
10 Jun 2011, 11:19 am
@race of tan(race of tan)-36: I wouldn’t have Frans Steyn specifically on my bench to cover flyhalf (if that is what you are suggesting). Frans can be a utility back replacement, and you can still put Butch & Pienaar in there. All of them are quite versatile so those three are good options for the bench. That obviously depends whether false teeth believes in a 4 forward:3 backline or a 5 forward:2 backline bench.
But I must ask – do we leave Patrick Lambie out then ? Its a tough one….
10 Jun 2011, 11:36 am
15 Aplon
14 Pietersen
13 Fourie
12 De Villiers
11 Habana
10 James
9 Du Preez
20 Hougaard
21 F Steyn
22 De Jongh
10 Jun 2011, 11:36 am
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-39:
Lambie on the bench instead of F Steyn actually
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