Lancaster wary of Steyn’s boot
11 May 2012
England coach Stuart Lancaster says his players need to have good discipline against the Springboks or they’ll be punished by Morne Steyn.
In his 42-man touring squad, Lancaster recalled players who recently served suspensions. Scrumhalf Danny Care was picked after being banned for alcohol-related incidents, while hooker Dylan Hartley returns from an eight-week stay on the sidelines for biting Ireland flank Stephen Ferris during the last round of the Six Nations.
Highlanders flank James Haskell is also included in the England group for the first time since the team’s controversial World Cup campaign in New Zealand, but he’s currently serving a three-week ban for punching Cheetahs flank Justin Downey.
Lancaster has warned all his players about their discipline ahead of the June tour to South Africa as he believes this will give the Boks the advantage because of Steyn’s accurate boot.
‘We’ve got to reduce our penalty count across the board. We can’t be giving Morne Steyn kicks at goals. That message has been received by our players,’ Lancaster told The Telegraph. ‘Attitude, energy and emotional discipline should be a given for any England player. I’ll be having a pretty strong conversation with Dylan.
‘We’ve got to be able to trust players and he’s got to prove he’s ready to come back into the Test arena. But it’s not just Dylan, who has a lot of credit in the bank with us and looks in the best shape he’s ever been.’
The English will be reminded of Steyn’s threat from the kicking tee after the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. The Bok flyhalf kicked the match-winning, last-minute penalty in the second Test from inside his own half, which clinched a 28-25 victory and a series triumph for the hosts. This came after replacement fullback Rowan O’Gara’s dangerous challenge on scrumhalf Fourie du Preez.
England forwards coach Greg Rowntree, who was part of the British and Irish Lions management team three years ago, also remembers the Boks’ physicality.
‘It’s as tough as it gets going to South Africa and it was brutal in 2009,’ said Rowntree. ‘Historically, going down there has always been a big ask. The Springboks will play a very simple, confrontational game. We’ve got to be able to match it.’
11 Comments
11 May 2012, 06:14 am
Dirty Dragons!
11 May 2012, 06:44 am
@Falken(Falken)-1:
Yeah the Poms are always dirty
11 May 2012, 07:26 am
Sheez, England will get hammered if they dont get their discipline in order.
Its not just Morne that will punish them, Frans will do it from 65m out in JHB
And if Jantjes is on the field when morne is off – he too will make them suffer. Jantjes has a much better goal kicking percentage than Morne.
11 May 2012, 08:04 am
Lancaster is still watching the old Lions 2009 Tour Tapes ……
11 May 2012, 08:07 am
And it is also nice that they are focusing on the Boks game …. and not theirs.
They obviously don’t have a game.
11 May 2012, 09:33 am
Be afraid, be very afraid
11 May 2012, 10:37 am
Everyone weary of Steyns booties
11 May 2012, 21:29 pm
Chris4lions…. Jantjies? Delusional much?
11 May 2012, 22:12 pm
@thesaint(thesaint)-8:
Don’t worry… nobody takes a Lions supporter seriously!
11 May 2012, 22:13 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-7:
Especially the Cape Town skefies…..
14 May 2012, 17:38 pm
@Chris4Lions(Chris4Lions)-3: Jantjies…..seriously? You do realize that he can’t just run on the field to kick like in the NFL…..he’ll actually have to play as well….which would be disastrous having him try and run a Springbok backline…..!!
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