Frans blow for Boks
1 Oct 2011
Frans Steyn has sustained a serious shoulder injury and will play no further part in the Springboks’ World Cup campaign.
Steyn was clutching at his shoulder towards the end of Friday’s physical battle with Samoa. Head coach Peter de Villiers refused to comment on injuries right after the game, but on Saturday morning, he was in a despondent mood,
‘Frans is likely to go home,’ De Villiers said. ‘The doctor will confirm that it’s 100% later this morning, but at the moment it’s 95% that he’s on his way home, and that is a big blow for us.
‘I was lying awake [last night thinking about who to call in as a replacement]. We will still have to make a few calls and see.’
The obvious replacement for Steyn at No 12 is Jean de Villiers, and the Boks are further covered in the position considering the prodigiously talented Juan de Jongh is in the squad of 30.
What De Villiers, De Jongh and even a player like Morne Steyn lack is the ability to kick penalties from 65m out. The Boks will also miss Frans Steyn’s line kicking game, as well as his ability to slot in at flyhalf, centre, wing or fullback if the situation demands it.
There were bound to be a few injury concerns following such a brutal contest with the Samoans, but Peter de Villiers moved to play down the ailments of Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Francois Hougaard.
‘All those guys have got battle scars, but we hope that they can recover to take their places this coming week.
‘I don’t know what’s wrong with us. When we get injuries, we get them in one position. We’ve had problems at lock [during this tournament], and yesterday we lost three wings. So when Lady Luck turns her back on us, she turns it properly.’
De Villiers said that he was happy with the way Danie Rossouw and Victor Matfield performed as a second row combination, and hinted that this pair will front the Aussies in the quarter-final. For the moment, Bakkies Botha won’t be risked until he’s absolutely ready.
‘Do we really need him at 50 %, the way he is, or do we need him at 100%? Rather give him more time.
‘Danie is going very well and we’ve got Johann [Muller] who is properly healed, he will be in the mix this coming weekend. So to have Bakkies back is a soothing thought for me.’
The injury situation aside, the Bok coach said that the team had done everything they had set out to do at the beginning of the tournament.
De Villiers believes that winning ugly is still winning, and doesn’t think that the narrow wins against Wales and Samoa have shown the Boks to be off the pace when compared to the Wallabies and All Blacks.
‘When we won in Wellington by one point, we achieved what we came here to do, which is win games. A lot of people call it winning ugly, but it’s uglier if you don’t win. We scored 160 points for and 22 against [in four pool games]. That’s a difference of [about] 140 points so we came through quite well.
‘Our first goal is now achieved, we’re through the pool stage. We could have lost yesterday and could have been sent home, so to come through against Samoa is an achievement.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Auckland
151 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 » Show All
1 Oct 2011, 03:10 am
The loss of Steyn is pretty much the loss of our whole backline. Steyn has a great cut out pass that gets the ball out to the wings. JdV on the other hand refuses to pass. I’d probably start JdJ ahead of JdV.
There is something about JdV that puts a dampener on the team. As soon as he came on Samoa scored and the Boks attitude went to dogshit.
1 Oct 2011, 03:10 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-96: ABs rank #1 and Samoa rank #10. Case closed. Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.
1 Oct 2011, 03:10 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-99:
Injuries, loss of a bit of pace, lack of confidence. and does not have dominant pack going forward all the time like Bulls.
Hougaard would dig out ruck ball quick and push back any counter ruck, is quicker, full of confidence
But dont right off Fdp just yet
1 Oct 2011, 03:12 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-99:
Don’t ignore his 2010 Super rugby form, thanks. You know, when he made Read look like a tard. Watch the blindside Read… lol.
1 Oct 2011, 03:12 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-101:
Are we 100 % sure he is out?
Maybe for quarters yes but lets wait and see.
1 Oct 2011, 03:13 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-95: I love the game of rugby.But I love all the facets in the game.A good scrum,a good steal etc.A team can loose but the tighthead will come off with something more than a loss if he had the better of his opponent. A good defensive showing is sometimes as good as good attacking . (Thus I like the 5 day format in cricket vs the 1 dayers..)I am not sure if I am making myself clear.
1 Oct 2011, 03:15 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-103:
Hougaard needs game time at 9 if he is to better du Preez at all. As soon as du Preez came on against Namibia the floodgates opened.
I hope Habana is out and Hougaard is fit to play.
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-105:
Doubt he will play again.
1 Oct 2011, 03:15 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-103:
He may come right but he’s running out of time, I would have Hougard in there as at least he’ll run a bit more and not just box kick.
1 Oct 2011, 03:16 am
BTW there wasn’t a single penalty for a high tackle in the entire match. Not one. So much for the “headhunting” myth. If you want to know where the Samoans hit you, ask poor Derek Hougaardt!
1 Oct 2011, 03:16 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-107: Du Preez is getting better every game.Far from his best ,but getting better.
1 Oct 2011, 03:17 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-109:
That’s because Nigel the gimp was ignoring them. There were at least three that he ignored.
1 Oct 2011, 03:18 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-109: Fishing again ,are’nt you?
1 Oct 2011, 03:18 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-107:
I think you are correct
If I have a fdp I start him at 9 Hougaard needs time at 9 yes, but great at 11
But we do have Aplon
1 Oct 2011, 03:19 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-113:
Yes good talk. I’m out bye.
1 Oct 2011, 03:20 am
Have to go, lets hope Steyn isn’t on the way home fantastic viewing seeing those 55 metre bombs being dropped.
1 Oct 2011, 03:21 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-109:
Hougaard ran into a somoans knee. I counted many hits with no arms or wrapping by samoans
1 Oct 2011, 03:28 am
i dont know what to make of the use of percentages by pdv to quantify situations
so does this mean there is 5% chance frans will stay and play? if so dont send him back just yet
JDV didn’t look to bad when he came on the only downer is boks will be less one kicking option
from here on in
9)FDP
10)M Steyn
11)Habana/Aplon
12)JDV
13)JF
14)JPP
15)Lambie
bench. Hougaard, Butch, JDJ
1 Oct 2011, 03:31 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-117:
No he is going to lend his boots to someone thats the 5%
Kidding aside I hope he is ok
1 Oct 2011, 03:40 am
Sh it!! Big blow to have Frans out…………
1 Oct 2011, 04:04 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-96: Such a sad japie, you’re unique.
Steyns injury wasnt because of the samoans aggressive play – he hit the deck hard, bad luck
Didnt he miss the 09 tour to NZ in the 3N coz he was in France? You guys did OK then without him, yeah hes a big loss, but you should be OK wth whats coming through
1 Oct 2011, 04:11 am
@KiaKahaNZ(KiaKahaNZ)-120:
No. Frans hit three 60 meter penalties in hamilton to beat the All Blacks in 2009 for the third time in a row.
Try and keep up.
1 Oct 2011, 04:33 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-121: My apologies- when did he go to France – coz you guys missed hime for a while
1 Oct 2011, 05:23 am
Coach Pete talk ****.It is impossible for a human to swallow their own tongue.
Fact.
1 Oct 2011, 05:40 am
You know South Africa may not win the world cup, but I always used to hope that if we did not win it at least Australia or NZ could. They may be our biggest rivals, but better our Southern Hemisphere partners than some northern team. Considering the spiteful behaviour of so many Australian and Kiwi visitors, to what is a ******* South African rugby site, I hope that if South Africa dont win the world cup the last team it goes to is either NZ or Aus
1 Oct 2011, 06:22 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-123:
Its a medical term where tongue block the air passage and the player can choke and die. Fact
1 Oct 2011, 06:32 am
Blocking and swallowing is not the same.Point taken,thanks.Semantics I suppose.
1 Oct 2011, 06:36 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-126:
If that happens “someone” must reach in and move the tongue away so breathing can occur
I guess the term swallowing is used to dramatize the event
1 Oct 2011, 06:42 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-78: Someone who posted a comment like that would get banned in any other website in the world. Not in South Africa though – says a lot.
1 Oct 2011, 07:05 am
All we lose with Frans out is the big boot. Admittedly this is a big advantage to us but Lambie had shown he has the temperament and skills to do a great job at 15. Frans was only ever keeping JdVs seat warm at 12.
1 Oct 2011, 07:35 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-129: Lambie has been more than disappointing at international level
1 Oct 2011, 07:42 am
Big loss…
Big Big Big loss.
Would play Juan de Jongh to start.
Aplon for Lambie
Just giv it horns.period.
1 Oct 2011, 07:44 am
Papoose. You have got to be kidding.
1 Oct 2011, 08:13 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-132: i actually am not
he hasnt offered much to date
not saying he’s rubbish just pointing out the obvious
decision making at 15 not been that great and missed a few up and unders
1 Oct 2011, 08:15 am
My Team for QF
1.Guthro 2.Smit(c) 3.JdP 4.Bakkies 5.Matfield 6.Brussow 7.Schalk 8.Alberts
9.Du Preez 10.Morne 11.Habana 12.de Jongh 13.Fourie 14.JP 15.Aplon
16.Bismark 17.Beast 18.CJ 19.Danie 20.Spies 21.Hougaard 22.Lambie
1 Oct 2011, 08:24 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-128:
i know it can get ugly on here at times mutts, believe me i’ve tries a few times to talk sense to some of the guys…doesn’t wok half the time.
just call him an old skool racist doos- or something similar, like thick headed neander japie or whatever.
its a sticks for sticks environment most days but its also a lot of fun with good banter most other days too.
1 Oct 2011, 08:33 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-134:
okay mshini… the bok coach job is yours…!!
good team… best team in the circumstances…
1 Oct 2011, 08:36 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-129:
agreed. the boks will have to opt for kicking to touch for any penalties too far out now thats all. jdv to midfield and keep lambie at fb imo. theres jdj and aplon in reserve.
question is is there genuinely anyone at home who could seamlessly fit into the bok setup and make a mark in the knockout games if frans comes home and they call up a replacement?
1 Oct 2011, 09:46 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-129: Keep taking those drugs. It’ll make the pain of the Boks getting knocked out unnoticeable.
1 Oct 2011, 09:54 am
i think the out of the box man for man replacement for Frans should be Johan Goosen. Same big boot, flair, solid defensively and Cooper-like on the run. Also he is new and thus unanalised at this stage and can play 10, 12 and 15. Frans version 2.0
1 Oct 2011, 09:55 am
well, this is tragic.
ends our chances as far as I’m concerned.
way more physical than jean and passes more and defends better and obviously the goal kicking.
over and out.
fck
1 Oct 2011, 11:03 am
Holy ****! This is a serious blow. If de Villiers is looking for someone to compensate for long range kicks and take the 15 jersey at the back then he should be considering Riaan Viljoen. Same calibre boot as Steyn. And he´s a agood fullback. Back to Donkey in mid field. not looking good for SA. Damn Samoans.
1 Oct 2011, 11:19 am
well at least the Dan Carter injury levels it with New Zealand. So if we can make it past the Ozzies were still in with a sniff.
1 Oct 2011, 12:32 pm
In retrospect those 60 m penalty kicks could have been kicked into their 22. Where tries with our rolling maul from the lineout was garanteed.
1 Oct 2011, 13:18 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-141:
Still remember that penalty for Griquas against WP back in 2008. He’s a threat from range alright, great kicking power for a relatively small guy.
1 Oct 2011, 13:24 pm
This is a travesty of note
I was backing us to win this world cup, now i am not so sure.
1 Oct 2011, 13:24 pm
@Derrida(Derrida)-139:
It’ll never happen. PdV doesn’t have his headmasters phone number, like Jake had for Frans.
1 Oct 2011, 14:19 pm
ok maybe just maybe the injury is not so bad and snorrie is playing mind games and Fransie only has to miss one game, am holding thumbs.
1 Oct 2011, 14:39 pm
The bok backline issues are to do with our alignment, not personnel. We line up way too flat on attack. By the time the midfield get the ball the defence is already up on us causing the centres to try and hit up and recycle from the ruck. Against Fiji and NAmibia we had acres of space and our entire side could run the ball without any pressure. No more in this tournament. Frans was as quiet on attack as everyone else against Samoa. It does not matter who plays in our midfield. If we starve ourselves of space we will struggle to score through thr backs.
1 Oct 2011, 14:42 pm
@147. Boombotherer. I was hoping along those lines, a la the Bakkies situation, but it appears to be otherwise.
1 Oct 2011, 18:07 pm
Well, I suppose it was mission accomplished for the islanders!!
I wonder how much money was on offer for FS’s head?
We will need to regroup and keep it amongst the forwards.
Start with Alberts and Spies off bench. Maybe he’ll make an impact.
JdV obvious for FS.
Will tell Divvy via Skype to try hyperbaric Oxygen on Steyn’s shoulder before they
send him back.. I’ve seen it work miricles in past.
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.