From boy to man
18 Sep 2012
Frans Steyn returned to South Africa a more mature person and a better rugby player.
In the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, Steyn talks candidly about:
- How he got ‘swept away’ by his early success with the Springboks
- His ‘difficult’ relationship with former Bok coach Peter de Villiers and why he feels more at ease under Heyneke Meyer
- How being in Europe helped him to learn about the world and himself
- Why money was a factor in his move to French club Racing Metro
- People who questioned his loyalty
- Why he performed poorly when he was called up to the Boks to play Wales in 2010
- What he still wants to achieve in the game
- His struggle with the decision to return to South Africa this year
BUY THE NEW ISSUE NOW FOR JUST R5.95 (DIGITAL EDITION)
Also in the new issue:
– Keo on why Heyneke Meyer needs to rethink the Springboks‘ game plan and get his selections right
– Adriaan Strauss finally has the chance to make his mark in the Springbok No 2 jersey
– All Blacks loosehead prop Tony Woodcock steps back for no one these days
– Ewen McKenzie on why the All Blacks are the best attacking team in the world
– Digby Ioane may clown around with his team-mates off the field but he gets serious when he pulls on a Reds or Wallabies jersey
– Pumas wing Gonzalo Camacho is part of a large rugby family
– French Top 14 clubs have had to release their Pumas players for the Rugby Championship – and they’re not happy about it
– The Springbok Sevens need support from Saru and the provincial unions if they are to be successful at the 2016 Olympic Games
– The Southern Kings need to field a competitive team in Super Rugby next year and show a big commitment to transformation
– Sharks centre Paul Jordaan has what it takes to play at the highest level
– Blue Bulls centre Jan Serfontein has achieved everything he aimed to in 2012
– SA Schools were too good for their European opposition in August
– Bakkies Botha is enjoying his time with Toulon, but he hasn’t given up hope of playing for the Springboks again
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103 Comments
18 Sep 2012, 06:23 am
Serfontein and Jordaan.
Future Bok centre pairing dragons.
18 Sep 2012, 06:34 am
another frans steyn cover…goodness this dragon has said everything. what no he got married?
18 Sep 2012, 07:03 am
bakkies needs to stop resting himself on other players backs (literally) when he arrives at or gets up from the bottom of a ruck / breakdown situation / maul.
——————
“The Southern Kings need to field a competitive team in Super Rugby next year and show a big commitment to transformation”…?
this is a ridiculous expectation and unsound imo, at this point in time the kings can only be one of these two things. if they have half a brain they would opt for the most competitive squad possible over a transformation target squad.
its a no brainer, if they can stay in super rugby their chances and opportuinties for meating transformation objectives increases over time.
————-
frans needs to work his fitness and physical shape.
———-
of course ewen mckenzie would know why the ab’s are the best attacking team in the world, he plays to the same dirty script.
18 Sep 2012, 07:07 am
@puff-1:
Jordaan nope.
Excellent attacking player, but the guy isn’t physical enough, and that will always cost him.
Even Serfontein will have a tough time in his favored position of 12. Frans Steyn is one of those once-in-a-lifetime sort of players.
18 Sep 2012, 07:11 am
Frans needs to get the lead out and condition himself properly.
He’s still a few kgs off his fittest.
Not acceptable at this level, and it shows.
18 Sep 2012, 07:18 am
This is going to upset the Keo Youth League.
Wait until they here that he is warning R 12500 a month after deductions.
This won’t end well.
18 Sep 2012, 07:20 am
@gunther-6:
huh?
18 Sep 2012, 07:28 am
4 once in a lifetime player, you really think he’s up there with the Eales, Matfields, McCaws what has he actually done this season that you think he’s a once in a lifetime player?
18 Sep 2012, 07:30 am
Earning.
18 Sep 2012, 07:32 am
Still don’t know if I saw it wrong but to me it appeared he left Goosen stranded to be steamrolled by Nonu.
Everybody could see Ma’ bulldozing straight down that channel yet Frans who was standing half a meter behind Goosen didn’t step up and shut it down like Brussouw has done in Super Rugby.
Overall had a good game though.
18 Sep 2012, 07:33 am
Two mistakes most unGunther like, big night last night?
18 Sep 2012, 07:34 am
who frans?
18 Sep 2012, 07:41 am
Morning Bakkies, your thoughts on foul play for the remainder of the RC lets hope we don’t see anymore foul play like the last couple of weeks.
18 Sep 2012, 07:54 am
you mean like lifitng a player off his feet and dropping him to the ground in a failed spear attempt putting the player out for six months type foul play?
18 Sep 2012, 07:55 am
or the kiwi style head high tackles effected on bok players by both the ozzies and the ab’s?
18 Sep 2012, 07:56 am
of course this foul play was not punished in the least.
18 Sep 2012, 07:57 am
12-frans steyn 13-jean de villiers
12-frans steyn 13-paul jordaan
12-frans steyn 13-juan de jong
12-frans steyn 13-tim whitehead
12-frans steyn 13-jj engelbrecht
12-frans steyn 13-lionel mapoe
12-frans steyn 13-jaco taute
18 Sep 2012, 08:03 am
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/video-all-blacks-and-springboks-at-the-breakdown/
18 Sep 2012, 08:08 am
Fat boy better lose some weight and get back into shape.
18 Sep 2012, 08:15 am
@gunther-9:
Gunth, I see the format of the T20 WC is 2 round robin games then straight into the Super 8′s.
1st up against Zim then next game against Sri Lanka.
It’s a must win against the Zimbo’s.
18 Sep 2012, 08:17 am
– The Southern Kings need to field a competitive team in Super Rugby next year and show a big commitment to transformation.
A few weeks ago Cheeky pulled the transformation card out of his pocket saying that it was vital for the Kings – well I will be holding him to his promise. Better not field a lilly white team with one or two token Xhosa’s in the mix.
18 Sep 2012, 08:17 am
What bollocks – all these okes spend a couple of winters in Europe and they reckon they experience these massive personal transformations – get serious. The only thing I’m intrerested in is how his rugby has developed and whether or not he can keep the pies off his ***. This bugger has the potential to be one of, if not, the best 12s ter wereld but needs to work harder on his conditioning – he’s got natural strength and step but should slim down a min of 5kgs to give him the injection he had when younger.
18 Sep 2012, 08:22 am
@xtremebull-17: I would like to see
12-jean de villiers 13-tim whitehead
15-frans steyn
18 Sep 2012, 08:26 am
@Zandberg Jansen-23: take your eyeballs out and wash them – you are seeing funny.
18 Sep 2012, 08:29 am
@RL-24: Nothing wrong with the eyeballs. Just a combination that I “would have like to see”.
18 Sep 2012, 08:35 am
@Jeraldjay-20:
What’s our recent record against them?
18 Sep 2012, 08:43 am
@gunther-26:
Since 1992 we have only won 2 knock-out tournaments.
The ICC Champions trophy and the Common Wealth Games both won in 1998.
Can Gary change our destiny….
18 Sep 2012, 09:19 am
Le petite la Frans…Is it just me or was there a definite french twang in francois la Steyns accent? Viva les Frans. But enough croissants now!
18 Sep 2012, 09:22 am
Really can’t wait to see Jordaan and Fransie at the Sharks next year, with Lambie at fh. Fransie will be far better playing for Sharks than Boks. Meyer just using him to bash everything up, like a extra big ball carrier and nothing more. He will play different at the Sharks, with a superbly talented 13 and with a creative flyhalf like Lambie we will see the best out of Frans Steyn only next year in Super Rugby.
18 Sep 2012, 10:03 am
4.?hendrikp said: ?
18 Sep 2012, 07:07 am
“Frans Steyn is one of those once-in-a-lifetime sort of players”
Holy shitt, that’s bull. Frans was +190cm & +100kg in his teens, big boot, can tackle hard. That’s about it, EXCEPT within SA rugby these “attributes” are highly prized BUT how good is he when he’s up against guys his size – Nonu, Jamie Roberts, Mike Tindall, Tuialigi
18 Sep 2012, 10:07 am
Frans tried to target Cruden’s channel but was neutralised easily
18 Sep 2012, 10:12 am
Viewer you’ll get hung for that around here, he’s world class regardless of what he does on the park and always will be according to quite a few around here, good player yes one of the greats don’t think so.
18 Sep 2012, 10:17 am
@NZINCHINA-32: Maybe not now but he has the potential to be. Also to be fair it is far easier to call SBW a great when he get’s to play outside Carter/Cruden within a game plan that amplifies his abilities. Fransie has to play 12 outside a 10 who stands 10m in the pocket and shovels **** pill or kicks high bombs.
18 Sep 2012, 10:18 am
@viewer-31: Maybe Cruden would not have been so succesful if Frans was getting good ball in space from his 10…..
18 Sep 2012, 10:22 am
Skeppie, agreed right now he’s not could be playing outside of the Goose, imo he should be playing 15.
18 Sep 2012, 10:28 am
@nzinchina Conrad Smith vs Arg turned a 4 on 3 into a 2 on 1 by drawing 3 defenders & off-loading to Nonu who put Savea through to score. I’m wondering where’s that type of rugby IQ from a much bigger player like Frans.
I do realise when the new demographic does not engage in blind worship, we are labelled “cape crusaders” and the like.
18 Sep 2012, 10:29 am
18 Sep 2012, 10:43 am
@viewer-36: please stop talking k u k.
frans bounced the overrated nonu flat on his ar se and another two all blacks on his way towards the tryline and only poor finishing let the try go begging.
we all saw nonu grovel sonny.
18 Sep 2012, 10:49 am
Viewer don’t mess with Ranger if he says it true it must be so, Steyn is one of the greats!
18 Sep 2012, 11:06 am
Jordaan and Serfontein are a possible centre combination in a year or two. Right now I’d try Steyn at 12 with Taute at 13.
18 Sep 2012, 11:11 am
Rangerman, he bounced Nonu off with no end result; a smaller player (Conrad Smith) ran into space, drew 3 defenders & off loaded for a try against Arg.
Next thing you’ll be calling me a “cape crusader”
18 Sep 2012, 11:14 am
@NZINCHINA-39: good boy.
18 Sep 2012, 11:26 am
@viewer-41: what are you talking about?
he created a chance that wasnt finished off?
are you being disengenous or are you a bit challenged?
either way you talk sh it pellie and are trying to find reasons to support your point instead of looking at events to arrive at a conclusion.
as you were.
18 Sep 2012, 11:34 am
Now it will help to take your high blood tablets before reading this article. For reaction to it, read News 24. It will make you realise SA is a great country. LOL!!
The Boks have failed to win their last three games in the competition, with a 21-11 loss to New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday leaving them in second-last position on the log.
But De Villiers feels it’s not only the team’s poor results on the field turning the fans against Heyneke Meyer’s charges, but also the racial composition of the side.
Speaking to Ballz Radio on Monday, De Villiers lashed out at the Bok management’s apparent lack of interest in selecting players of colour.
“It’s just the little things that bother me. We need to know in what country we do live. And at this moment we are turning a lot of black people against ourselves by making the team white and nobody will talk about these things but I just have to. And that is what… actually we’re breaking up our country again,” said De Villiers.
The former Bok mentor also questioned the fact that there’s no existent quota system in place anymore. He singled out a few players of colour which he feels should have been given more chances this season.
“We do have a lot of great (black) players who can make a difference. You have Gio Aplon – here in Cape Town – who can make a hell of a difference. You’ve got Juan de Jongh, an exciting player who can make a difference. We never played (Siya) Kolisi – who’s now injured, he was never given a chance.
“There are a lot of players like Chiliboy Ralepelle. He was the one guy who can make that 10% difference that you need from a replacement to come onto the field.
“We’re turning all the black support against the Springboks. Wherever I go I hear people talking negative about the Springboks,” said De Villiers.
Saturday’s Bok team against the All Blacks did feature three players of colour (Zane Kirchner, Bryan Habana and Tendai Mtwarira) in the starting line-up, while De Jongh was among the substitutes.
De Villiers started his tenure as Bok coach in 2008 under a cloud of controversy, with SARU admitting the decision wasn’t made purely on rugby reasons, but rather political. Back then Meyer was the preferred candidate to succeed the World Cup winning coach Jake White.
De Villiers led the Boks to a series victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2009, as well as the Tri-Nations title in that same year. However, things started unravelling the next two years and his time with the national team ended when the Boks crashed out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage to Australia last year.
De Villiers is currently the director of rugby at the University of the Western Cape.
18 Sep 2012, 11:37 am
@Peter Mkata-44: There’s an entire thread devoted to this.
18 Sep 2012, 11:50 am
At least it is a more realistic approach by some when they say, “he has the potential” to become a great.
Not that over hyped kak declaring him a great already. But even for them it will end in shattered dreams.
Frans is just as average a Bok player as the people next to him. One already sees how some now wants him to move to FB, only 6 matches after he came back from France as the savior at inside centre of the Bok back line woes. With Goosen on his way to become no. 1 pivot and with his ability to also kick 60m penalties, I foresee that people will be screaming for Frans to be dropped within the next 18 months because he is not doing anything at inside centre.
Just like they are doing now wrt Morne Steyn. Who would’ve guessed it 18 months ago?
18 Sep 2012, 11:54 am
@nama1-46: if goosen plays 10, frans will shine.
thats my bet.
18 Sep 2012, 12:09 pm
Thats your guess.
18 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@rangerman-47: I agree, at least it’s unfair to judge him within HM’s current gameplan and playing outside Morne Steyn
18 Sep 2012, 12:15 pm
Ranger doesnt rate Nonu or SBW both are kak but Steyn is one of the greats.
18 Sep 2012, 12:19 pm
@Skeppie-49: agreed.
but haters gonna hate.
18 Sep 2012, 12:23 pm
@NZINCHINA-50: when did i say i dont rate them?
i said both are overrated.
and nonu got bounced by fransie PROPER.
go watch again, i laughed and laughed and laughed.
18 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
@rangerman-47:
Let’s wait and see then.
Some people are hoping that it will be the case (Fransie performing better with Goosen at FH) purely because Fransie hasn’t done anything up to now since coming back from France but they are not yet willing to admit to themselves that they might’ve been wrong about him as the back line savior.
18 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
yer but Ranger who had the last laugh?
18 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
I’m going to name my son Frans Steyn, Steyn being his second name.
18 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
@NZINCHINA-50: Hmmm for my money Nonu was very, very good a few years back but has gone a little off the boil for me. SBW was brilliant, I hesitate to call him a great becuase he only played union for a couple of years but he certainly had the makings of a great. Fran Steyn also have the potential to be great
18 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
Skeppie correct SBW was getting there, Steyn is over weight and not there at present, Nonu past his best we’ll have to wait for the AB back factory to churn out another star.
18 Sep 2012, 12:41 pm
@Skeppie-56: @NZINCHINA-57: i’d rather have SBW in my team than francois steyn any day!
18 Sep 2012, 12:43 pm
@NZINCHINA-57: I am not sure what Fransies ideal conditioning should be but either way I am sure the right people have their eye on it. I cannot call him great yet by any stretch but I do think he has the potential. Especially once he is playing within a different game plan with a different 10
18 Sep 2012, 12:44 pm
@Transformation-58: Yes for now but I would like to see Frans play outside a proper 10 first before I make final judgement
18 Sep 2012, 12:45 pm
@nama1-53: ja lets see nama.
it has been said ad nauseum that a flyhalf playing as deep in the pocket as morne does, does not give his backline any front foot ball or space to work but yet frans steyn haters still keep pointing fingers as though anyone else would do better?
i find it endlessly amusing
18 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm
@Transformation-58:
what would frans steyn be doing in your ab team anyway?
18 Sep 2012, 12:54 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-62: i’m talking a “franchise” cheese balls
18 Sep 2012, 12:55 pm
@Transformation-63:
cheese balls.
thats funny.
18 Sep 2012, 13:04 pm
SBW on present form would be selected at 12 ahead of Steyn everytime, that could change in the future when he returns in 2014.
18 Sep 2012, 13:07 pm
@rangerman-61:
…or maybe lovesick Fransie supporters thought all he needed to do was to pitch up and the Bok back line woes will be solved.
Last year JdV played next to Morne and he was blamed for our kak back line play. Nothing was said about “a flyhalf playing as deep in the pocket as morne does,” or him “not giving his backline any front foot ball or space to work.”
18 Sep 2012, 13:10 pm
The golden one needs to up his game in the Bokke jersey if the hype is to become reality.
18 Sep 2012, 13:10 pm
@nama1-66: you see thats the kind of deflection that makes me laugh.
now its about last year and jdv
nama you are a funny guy.
18 Sep 2012, 13:10 pm
@Transformation-63:
in that case, what would frans steyn be doing in your chiefs team anyway?
how you like them cheesy balls…
18 Sep 2012, 13:12 pm
SBW was hyped and delivered in his second season.
18 Sep 2012, 13:13 pm
@NZINCHINA-67: much like cruden?
18 Sep 2012, 13:17 pm
Yip but nobody in NZ is calling him a superstar the best around etc big difference
18 Sep 2012, 13:18 pm
@NZINCHINA-72:
could have fooled me.
18 Sep 2012, 13:24 pm
@rangerman-61: I have tried to get
this point accross so many times.Bacline play 101.BUT
drip…drip…. drip….innuendo.
18 Sep 2012, 13:27 pm
We dont tend to hype our players SBW the exception like you guys do, lets take Goosen he’s already taking the Bokke to the promised land ( AB win ratio) and then some aftet 12 seconds in the Bokke jersey.
18 Sep 2012, 13:33 pm
@NZINCHINA-75: China you are correct but I think a lot of the hype is based around his school career and some quanitfiables eg the 65m penatly he slotted when a schoolboy. Also remember we have not had a lot of 10 options over the last few years, this is one of our first real talents at 10, so obviously there is hype and excitement.
18 Sep 2012, 13:37 pm
@rangerman-68:
Deflection, you say?
Hahahaha……….
Facts boet. Last year JdV was criticized to no end for not delivering at inside centre. Nobody mentioned that he was playing outside of Morne.
Why should Morne be an excuse for Fransie’s lack of performance now?
One can also say that Fransie lovers who are currently saying, “Just wait for Goosen to be FH,” is defecting big time.
You’re the joker here, Ranger. You and the other who are still into the Fransie hype.
18 Sep 2012, 13:39 pm
Skep too much pressure on the young mans shoulders, how can he possibly live up to expectations, if he doesn’t perform hes going to get crucified.
18 Sep 2012, 13:44 pm
58.?Transformation
Exactly, but some don’t see why. For one, SBW picks a line to run (into space to draw defenders or beat the defence). But there we go, in Frans the Legend we have a bigger version of de wet barry
18 Sep 2012, 13:49 pm
* Some of the traits of de wet barry, to be fair
18 Sep 2012, 13:49 pm
@nama1-77:
deflecting although some of his disciples will be defecting in the near future imo.
18 Sep 2012, 14:34 pm
The ABs are on course to break the record of consecutive wins. SA better beat the ABs in 2 weeks time and stop this, because I don’t think it is a very good AB team. I think it’s more of a case of theer not being much resistance. The std of world rugby is pretty low at the momement and NZ are capitalising on this along with all the injuries in the SA and Aus camps.
18 Sep 2012, 14:36 pm
@blik-82: sound assessment
18 Sep 2012, 14:38 pm
@nama1-81: you’ve got him nama but he’s going to obfuscate like most guppys when caught…they said jdv was a “donkey” and indeed no mention of msteyn “in the pocket” was offered as a reason for jdv’s apparent poor performance but francois can’t be kak, it is either meyer’s rigid instructions or morne but never frans himself!
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-69: be original for once…
18 Sep 2012, 14:40 pm
@blik-82: are you admitting that our teams are kak compared to them?
18 Sep 2012, 14:45 pm
Blik we’ve been capitalising on it for decades don’t try and make yourself feel better about your shite record this year.
Big T it you are coming up to the 10 year mark without a victory against the world champs, you must be getting a little excited could be your year next year champ.
18 Sep 2012, 14:51 pm
@NZINCHINA-78: Hence my calls to manage him. Bok rugby has probably had the best locks, loosies and maybe at a strech best centre combinations in the world for a while now (pre 2011 WC). But we have not had the best front row, back three or most definitely halfbacks. While Fourie du Preez was world class he never played with someone as good as Carter. Hence why we get so excited about a really talented number 10
18 Sep 2012, 14:53 pm
Frans Steyn is over rated (in my opinion Ranger)
18 Sep 2012, 15:25 pm
@Transformation-84:
voetsek!
18 Sep 2012, 18:00 pm
Frans is an over-sized farm boy. He’s loved though by the Pseudo-Liberals & those hankering for the old days
18 Sep 2012, 18:04 pm
@Transformation-84:
> they said jdv was a “donkey” and indeed no mention of msteyn “in the pocket” was offered as a reason for jdv’s apparent poor performance
So Morne played for the Stormers as well for the last two years as Donkey didn’t score many tries either as did their backline?
Maybe it’s Grant’s fault this time?
Donkey can’t do no wrong
18 Sep 2012, 18:11 pm
@87 skeppie: boks have certainly had world class locks and looses over the last 10 years. Best in the world? That
Would be a big call apart from matfiield when he was at his peak.
There will be seasons when particular players might be the best in the world. But you can’t claim that your locks and looses have been consistently head and shoulders above players like Martin Johnson, mccaw, kaino, pocock, the French no 8 and no6, brad thorn etc etc.
I get that you woul prefer to have your beloved Bok players in your Dream 15 over these foreign players. But that doesn’t make them the best I the world.
18 Sep 2012, 18:17 pm
@ skeppie: your current locks are just average, yoruba looses are good but hardly the best in the world. And your centre pairing is weak – Fran’s is over weight (and IMHO overrated), and jdv is out of position and past it. Neither of them have the pace to create or take a gap.
18 Sep 2012, 18:17 pm
Damn iPad auto correct….
18 Sep 2012, 18:19 pm
@viewer-90:
> Frans is an over-sized farm boy
You wish
Frans isn’t into that stuff
Which position did you play for the Polsmoor Shower team, Hooker or FULL-back?
18 Sep 2012, 18:30 pm
82.?blik said: ?
18 Sep 2012, 14:34 pm
I’ve been thinking the same thing; ABs are dominant without hitting any sort of heights. The players that have been lost in the past 5 seasons include Jack,A Williams,So’oialo,Collins,Muliana,Howlett,Hayman,Somerville,Oliver,Sivivatu,Rocokoco,Rico Gear,Thorn,McDonald,Mauger,Kaino,SBW to name a few. All quality internationals
18 Sep 2012, 18:34 pm
What stuff? Do you read too quickly
18 Sep 2012, 19:09 pm
Frans is average. JDV is poor but if MS is making Steyn look poor then the man inside JDV is doing likewise.
I agree with Nama. Its convenient to blame MS for Frans’s failings yet JDV wasn’t afforded the same luxury. Steyn isn’t a bad player – just above average. He aint no SBW – he aint even in the top three in his position in the world. Adequate.
18 Sep 2012, 19:28 pm
@viewer-90: is that why nama doesn’t like him?
18 Sep 2012, 20:56 pm
Frans Steyn’s only opportunity for greatness lies in him playing at 15. He is not going to set the world alight at 12 – regardless of who plays at 10. He is too big – no footwork and not enough explosive power. At 15 his vision, strength, unpredictability, huge boot and strong defense will make him a world beater.
18 Sep 2012, 21:06 pm
He was young and windgat… BIG DEAL… is quite normal…and now he has matured.
19 Sep 2012, 07:37 am
I rated Frans as in the top four players in the world, now I have to make an adjustment and say in the top ten.He hasn’t done that much that I can remember, a chargedown v Argies ,a long range penalty v Aussies and one strong run v Abs. Sbw would have wiped the floor with him.
19 Sep 2012, 08:05 am
@rangerman-52:
I agree about Steyn having a totally inept 10 to dictate the backline. It would be hard for any 12 to shine with that incompetence. However Steyn must do more to prove he is a world class 12.
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