Last chance for Morné to shine
17 Aug 2011
Morné Steyn is determined to show Peter de Villiers that he’s more than an excellent goal-kicker when he starts against the All Blacks this weekend.
Butch James will wear the No 10 jersey at the World Cup in New Zealand, but De Villiers still wants Steyn to get a start before the global tournament kicks off in three weeks time. De Villiers told the media on Tuesday that Steyn deserves an opportunity to start alongside the other first-choice players, and is hoping the Bulls’ flyhalf replicates the form that made him so valuable in 2009.
Steyn has battled to impose himself in the subsequent two seasons at Test and Super Rugby level. Many feel that the absence of Du Preez has exposed his limitations while the absence of a solid forward platform has also highlighted his weaknesses on attack and defence.
The most recent performances in Australasia served to underline his shortcomings and furthered the cause of an all-round flyhalf like James. But in this the final fixture before the World Cup, the Bok coach has given Steyn an opportunity, an opportunity he doesn’t intend to waste.
‘I must lift my game,’ Steyn said. ‘It hasn’t gone well in recent matches, but I’m glad to now have senior guys like Fourie du Preez on my inside and Jean de Villiers on my outside. Hopefully that will make things easier.
‘There are many areas of my game that I want to improve. My kicking game has not been up to standard. I slipped some tackles overseas as well. My attacking game could improve a bit, I must vary my play more on attack, in other words decide when to play flat, deep or kick the ball. Hopefully I can find some form this weekend.’
On Tuesday, De Villiers explained Steyn’s selection and then proceeded to talk about the value of an accurate goal-kicker at a World Cup tournament. James is no slouch in front of goal and the Boks have a useful alternative in Frans Steyn, but De Villiers will never forget the match-winning feats of Morné Steyn in the 2009 British & Irish Lions series and subsequent Tri-Nations. It was the boot of Steyn that effectively kept De Villiers in the job.
De Villiers will be hoping that Steyn furthers his cause for World Cup inclusion this weekend. He will want Steyn to show that he can hold his own in general play, as while Steyn has served the Boks in the past, the team can no longer afford to field a weak defender or one-dimensional attacking player at No 10.
The player himself spoke confidently about the challenge ahead. The All Blacks have left eight first-choice players in New Zealand, but there are still a number of attacking threats in the touring party.
‘They’re bringing a guy like Sonny Bill Williams here and Richard Kahui is an awesome player,’ said Steyn. ‘They’re calling it a B side but no All Blacks side is easy to beat.
‘I do have some good memories of playing against the All Blacks. I scored all 31 points when we beat them in Durban [in 2009], and I do remember these kinds of things ahead of a big game, it gives me confidence.
‘The win is important but we really want to improve on certain things. On tour we were shocking, and while we were a bit better last week we still didn’t get the win. We will be looking to fix a few things and get our own game right.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Port Elizabeth
128 Comments
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17 Aug 2011, 15:00 pm
@willievz(willievz)-99:
Willie, all your test victories when our brown brothers couldn’t play in SA don’t count either then because you didn’t play our best team at home or is that different, honest question no malice intended?
17 Aug 2011, 15:11 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-100:
Yeah just like you had recently OWNED them in 2005 & 2006…Yet come RWC 07′….Wonder what happened? Recency effect very strong there…
Plus they did manage to beat you guys at home 2009/2010 didnt they??
The same way you had recently owned Australia in Mtchell era in 2002/ early 2003(Mitch neva lost to OZ before wc),that included some 50 point pastings….Yet come semi final at RWC03??? Mortlock didnt listen to that Recency effect theory didnt he?
Need more?
Nothing Pdv about that mate,just rewind the tapes
17 Aug 2011, 15:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-102:
Ok buddy we’ll agree to disagree but if I had just lost 5 out of the last 6 teats to another team I’d be a little worried and probably be a little respectful but each to their own.
17 Aug 2011, 15:22 pm
NZinchina
it doesn’t matter, only the WC “counts”. lmao
17 Aug 2011, 15:22 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-103:
Fair enough. Said nothing to be disrespectful about OZ to be fair.Just said I dont fear them & I’d back my team come WC time vs them.But each to his own.
17 Aug 2011, 15:30 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-105:
And as a Bokke supporter you should as I would if the Ab’s were playing, when they beat us for a few years in the late 90′s early 00′s it was gut wrenching for EVERY SINGLE AB fan I would hope thats how every single Bokke fan is feeling right now but reading some of this stuff recently you get the feeling they don’t really care sad stuff.
17 Aug 2011, 15:44 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-106:
Trust me mate,we are hurting..BIG time,otherwise why defensiveness from most of the posters on keo? It matters,its gut wrenching,my weekends have been sh*t because sadly(i know) my mood usually is driven by results on Test rugby weekends…Always has been like that,so I havent been a happy camper.
But you catch me questioning the pride of those who put on the jersey to represent my nation.They may play badly, make mistakes etc but pride is last thing I’d question.As defiant as PDiv has been at times & trumpeting RWC plan-this current run hurts big time,he is an embattled man and at this juncture rightly so.But he must do what he sees fit for his side, the nation and the wc in 2011 has always been the goal. And for that I dont fault him because however some may try to belittle it,the William Web Ellis Trophy is still the requisite measure of ULTIMATE success.Otherwise there wouldnt be this hallabaloo in NZ at present nor would so many coaches be fired when they fail there despite great win ratios/legacies(re: Mitchell).
So it is what it is.
17 Aug 2011, 15:56 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-107:
Good to hear then lets hope all Bokke fans feel as you do because some of the posts around here recently don’t reflect your attitude, IMO ultimate sucess is winning all the time year in year out when NZ does win a WC nothing will change we will try to win every single test match SA should try to do the same because your proud record is going down the toilet as every years passes.
17 Aug 2011, 15:58 pm
SA is still the only test country in the world where the ABs don’t expect a victory when they rock up, hence the B team, i think they’re running scared.
17 Aug 2011, 16:08 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-108:
Fact of the matter is mate the RWC is the pantheon level of the sport. Whether anything changes after the win or not is irrelevant and other nations placing so much importance on it is not some ploy to somehow dilute(as many AB supporter seem to allude to) the AB dominance as best side in the sport but fact is-it is what makes you world champion and carries the most points/value to IRB rankings & as far legacies go you dont have to look further.
Rugby is not devoid to standards of competition in sporting codes across the world-in athletics you win all the meets you want but if you dont win the Olympic medal which comes every 4 years-its a blot against your name(ala: Frankie Fredericks), same in Soccer,NFL,NBA,BodyBuilding(Olympia every yr though), etc
Doesnt mean we dont want to win every single Test match or preserve proud records etc but World Champion status is why we play the sport.
17 Aug 2011, 16:09 pm
I have seen a lot of debate on various forms about what is more important: Winning as many rugby matches as possible all the time? Or Winning the world cup?
I must admit that as a life long Bok supporter, it’s a question that I find difficult to answer.
The history of the Bok is steeped in legend , heroics and eye watering patriotism, and hence the conundrum.
We want to win all the time. We expect to win every game. Anything less is simply not good enough. But I believe this is an emotionally biased logic.
The world cup and professionalism in rugby is a “new” concept when put into context of the century of rugby that has been played, and I believe that this has change the landscape of how we should be defining our success.
Clearly the top nations have a different strategy and benchmark for quantifying this success, but the reality remains, supported by the facts, that you simply cannot have it all anymore it would seem.
That is, you either go for a strategy of winning more games then anyone else, all the time i.e. New Zealand, who according to rugbydata.com have played 489 test matches, have won 366, lost 104, for a success rate of 74.85%
Or you go for the strategy of planning and building and conniving to win the Rugby world cup every 4 years, and in this regard South Africa is the most successful team, having played in 4, and won 2, for a WC success rate of 50%. Our nearest challenger is Australia who have played in 6, won 2, for a success rate of 33.3 %.
There are other considerations, like IRB rankings, Tri Nations , British and Irish lions series, and yearly Northern Hemisphere trips, to take into account obviously, and this is where SA and indeed all other rugby playing nations need to decide on what is at the top of the agenda in terms of important to win.
If I sit back and reflect on the rugby highlights of my life, there is no question what I am most proud of, and that has been watching the boys in green and gold lifting that Web Ellis cup twice.
Yes, watching our current performance in the tri-nations is gut wrenching, and at time I have wanted to pull my eyes out of their sockets rather then having to watch it.
Yes, it hurts seeing our IRB rankings decline, and yes it smarts losing to rugby nations we simply should not be losing to, but the fact is, the landscape of our game has changed. Its no longer part timers strapping on their boots for a weekend international. Its hardened, honed, trained and scientifically developed professional athletes who’s sole occupation and ambition is to be the best rugby players they can be. And every nation is nurturing their own superstars. The playing field has quite literally been levelled.
So we as a nation need to decide. Do we want to win more games then any other nation? Or do we want to lift that cup more times then any other nation?
I have a sneaking suspicion that the people in charge of our game, have a very clearly defined strategy and benchmark for Springbok success.
Lets not write this team of superstars off just yet. Come October 23rd 2011, and the lifting of a 3rd gold cup with the name South Africa engraved on its surface, I doubt any South African will be remembering the last few years of sporadic defeats.
Go Bokke!
17 Aug 2011, 16:10 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-108:
Put it like this,when a kid dreams of playing for the Boks-his greatest moment is beating AB’s in a world cup final and raising Webb Ellis aloft….Not the TriNations,Mandela Plate,Bledisloe etc
17 Aug 2011, 16:28 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-101:
Honest answer?
Of course they don’t count.
It was an invitational series.
17 Aug 2011, 16:35 pm
“Last chance for Morné to shine” ?
And if he doesn’t, will they leave him behind?
JC needs to make a bold statement, a poor Styen still a mile ahead of a great Aplon, Habana or JP.
Where is Chiliboi?
17 Aug 2011, 16:49 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-72: Wales spent most of the game in their own 22, only the utter incompetence of our backs and Tindall repeatedly turning down points saved them. I don’t see Wales making a big impression at the World Cup, particularly with no Rees and Jenkins/Henson carrying injuries.
17 Aug 2011, 16:51 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-112:
Lets hope you win it this time then because the cupboard is going to very very bare late October if you don’t.
@-zeus-(-zeus-)-111:
Fair enough but lets not call the defeats sporadic you have lost regularly and to weak teams.
17 Aug 2011, 16:51 pm
Boks must play Steyn at 10 and Butch at 12 (they can interchange as required)
17 Aug 2011, 16:52 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-115:
Your backs aren’t that flash is that news to you?
17 Aug 2011, 16:55 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-118:
flash dont win world cups. is that news to you?
17 Aug 2011, 16:57 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-118: they’re not usually quite as poor as that, but Chris Ashton was injured, he is 10 tries from 12 starts, only Hosea Gear has a better strike rate at the moment and Wilko was rested.
17 Aug 2011, 16:59 pm
@-zeus-(-zeus-)-119:
thats fortunate for you then because yours aren’t much better
17 Aug 2011, 17:01 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-120:
ashton is a good player, Wilko if fit is the second best fly half on the planet, the other kiwi Cooper folds under pressure
17 Aug 2011, 17:35 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-121:
very fortunate
17 Aug 2011, 22:55 pm
MS and FDP should hoist the ball up a lot. Cory Jane, Israel Dagg & Isaia Toeava won’t know what to do!
18 Aug 2011, 01:03 am
@defunkt(defunkt)-124: Actually, I think those 3 guys have a very good idea about what to do. If the Boks are going bombard the AB back 3 with high balls their kick chase better be really, really good. If it isn’t, (and it hasn’t been so far this year) those 3 will cut them up. That is actually my preferred back 3 post Mils retirement after the RWC. Three guys who all have pace and can all play wing or FB. Personally I think that the current Bok team would be better served by an 8 man game with ball in hand. I feel that with BdP and Broussow back they might edge this AB pack at the breakdown if they are fit enough to go 80 minutes.The backs aren’t creative enough at the moment to make good use of the ball on attack.
18 Aug 2011, 02:31 am
One only has to watch the FRA v IRE game from this weekend to see how important a metronome of a goal-kicker is vital in the 15 and 22…
18 Aug 2011, 02:56 am
@aliboy(aliboy)-125:
Ali, its probably fair to say that that is exactly what DeFunkt meant….
Actually Im not convicned Izzy IS very strong under the garryowen. Ive seen him drop a few for the Magpies, seems to get distracted or, perhaps, mind on the job of what he is going to do with the ball instead of concentrating on the job at hand. Inexperience, perhaps.
Lovely balanced runner with the ball tho, Cullen’esque in the way he seems to glide over the turf. Apparently a magnificent cricketer too, both bat and ball.
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-126:
Ive never had any doubt that Morne the Metronomic was the best option for the Boks, considering their tactics. He is THE classic Bok no10. They do NOT play like ABs/France/Samoa ie all-out attack, and neither should they pretend to be. They are farken boring to watch after the ball spits out the pack but, really, who gives a sh*t if that means theyre winning ?! Bok fans shouldnt, and dont, care how the wins come about. OK, those tactics are less and less successful – outside of RWCs – but when its ‘squeaky bum time’ during that tourney, then they seem to produce dividends more often than not. As a rugby fan, my only wish is that an attacking team wins this RWC and that a 10-man team like Boks or Engl do not. Doesnt mean they wont be successful, tho, and long may those same teams provide a point-of-difference to the other teams. BUT the game of Rugby Union seriously needs a Champion team that runs the ball – in hand – and shows creativity in getting there. So my fingers are crossed for a ABs/Aus/France/Samoa/Wales to come through with the goods.
18 Aug 2011, 03:51 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-127:
Agreed in every respect… it must be said (for many of the numnuts on this thread)… as we saw with the off-load, line-break, play-maker pass and outside-back ball stats when comparing Steyn, Lambie and Butch’s recent starts… in which he trumped them in every respect…
Morne Steyn is not the reason the Bok backline play is the way it is at the moment… but the muppets running the show…
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