Matured Steyn to lend Sharks bite
3 Jul 2012
RYAN VREDE writes the Sharks will reap the benefits of a refined and improved Frans Steyn.
Steyn, who recently re-signed with the Durban franchise after four seasons with french outfit Racing Metro, will start at inside centre in the showpiece game of the South African conference this weekend. The Durban franchise has been inconsistent and largely uninspiring, but Steyn has the potential to galvanise them.
I recently interviewed Jean de Villiers for SA Rugby magazine and during the course of the interview asked him to compare the player Steyn was before he left for Paris and the one he is now. ‘Massive difference,’ De Villiers said. ‘He has grown up as a player, he is more intelligent and composed.’ De Villiers continued to point out the positive effect marriage and fatherhood has had on him, and predicted that it would be the same for Steyn, who wed a fortnight ago.
He added that his time at Munster had allowed him to add attacking weapons to his armoury that playing in the southern hemisphere couldn’t develop, and that he had seen that in Steyn as well. Steyn, he said, was the prime example of the potential benefits of a young Springbok going abroad at the right time of his career and for the right reasons.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has massive belief in Steyn and rates him significantly more highly (in the context of his game plan) than any of the inside centre options available to him. During the England series Meyer was clear in his directive to Steyn to use his pace and physicality to get across the gainline as often as possible, as to give the team momentum that would aid its attacking cause.
He did so to good effect, consistently tormenting the tourists’ 10-12 axis. He fronted superbly on defence as well, combining with De Villiers to repel the advances of England’s strike runners, most notably Manu Tuilagi. His value was evident in his absence in the third Test.
He has an X-factor, certainly, but now he also has a quality best described as presence, an aura, a quality shared by the elite players in the game. This is something he lacked as an undeniably talented, but raw youngster. Time and circumstance has refined him and the Sharks will reap the benefits in the years to come.
His immediate value will be on display on Friday evening at Kings Park in a derby against the Bulls. A victory is imperative for the Sharks to stay in the hunt for a play-off spot. Of course Steyn’s potency depends heavily on his pack’s ability to give the back division a platform they can exploit. They’ve struggled to do so consistently this season. But with Steyn in tow, the incentive to establish such a platform will be great.
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354 Comments
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4 Jul 2012, 07:20 am
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-349: That bubble is becoming to pop
4 Jul 2012, 08:13 am
But their record in the strip isn’t great, losing four out of their six matches in the pink strip and whatever the team management have tried to sidestep the issue, it is hard to miss for both Bulls and other rugby fans alike.
No decision has yet been taken about the away strip, which will probably first be debated at the end of the season when the annual review is done, but it has been a commercial success with reports that the pink jersey was outselling the blue jersey five to one at one point.
lol Bulls fans opting for the pink jersey over the blue one. Who are the brokebacks now huh?
4 Jul 2012, 09:39 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-303: @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-308: I am not willing the Sharks to lose you maggot!!! I am wanting my team to perform to their potential, that with the resources and players we have is huge!!!! not feel the consistent high with hope followed by misery at losing to the bottom team to end!!!! I wear the black and white with pride! I have missed three home games in 5 seasons! I have been there in sunshine and rain, and even missed family events if they clashed with a home game! I AM one of the Kings Park faithfull. But I do feel I have the right to whant better results from a team that has the best players in the country! Did you watch the Sharks contingent playing for the Boks tell me they didn’t perform 100% better than they have performed for the Sharks the entire season! If you disagree , then I call you delusional with your head in the sand supporter, willing to carryon hitting your head on a wall expecting a different result each time!!!!!! I was not the one suggesting Jimmy Stonehouse, but I do feel it worth the attempt to have him in some role at the Sharks!!! I have always supported Plumtree, maybe Transie who is good at finding archived posts can help me here and find my posts, but after this year there are no more excuses for our coaches! Its time they got it right!
2007 Home final – losing finalist (best team on the park but so the cookie crumbles)
2008 scraped into semi – Muir leaves – Plumtree becomes Head Coach – win CC after 10 years!
2009 6th – did not qualify for play offs
2010 9th
2011 6th
2012 ? 6th, 7th 9th? (haven’t done the math)
4 Jul 2012, 15:27 pm
@Sharksgirl(Sharksgirl)-353:
Winston Park almost burnt down today. Fires of noooote. Our garden is a wasteland.
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