How France shaped Frans
13 Feb 2013
Frans Steyn’s benefit from an overseas rugby playing experience is further evidence of the changing landscape of South African rugby.
Francois Louw is a better player now than when he left Western Province for Bath. Percy Montgomery returned to South Africa a more accomplished player than the 50 Test veteran who left for Wales and who many accepted was past his best and would never again play Test rugby. Montgomery added 52 Tests to his CV, won the Tri Nations and was integral to South Africa winning the World Cup in 2007.
He never turned his back on South Africa. Montgomery was drained from the routine of Super Rugby, Test Rugby, Currie Cup Rugby and Test Rugby. He wanted to experience something else and he just needed a bit of time away from the public glare. Montgomery has often told me what his time in Wales taught him was to be a rugby professional and to assume the responsibility of the overseas professional. He said he grew up as a person but more so his rugby matured because he was taken out of his comfort zone.
Ditto Louw and ditto so many other South Africans who are currently playing in Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and even in Japan.
It is the way of the modern game the our best players can command the highest salaries in European club rugby and it is not a crime for any young player to want to reap the financial rewards, experience a change of pace in life, grow as a person and by circumstance of experiencing new responsibility become a better rugby player.
The vitriol from within the South African rugby support base is a common package directed at any player who wants to experience an overseas stint. Immediately he is cast as the villain and immediately the local based player is put on a pedestal of loyalty to the national jersey and the national flag. It is absurd in the context of the evolution of the sport as a profession, and it betrays the incredible value to those players who at an early age experience the overseas influence and return to South Africa in their mid 20s so much wiser and adding so much more value to rugby teams in South Africa and to the national cause.
I’ve constantly been amazed at the ‘out of sight out of mind’ attitude, especially when so much of the English Premiership, French Top 14 and Heineken Cup is shown on SuperSport, and that so many of the South African players are consistently the best performers.
Somewhere a misguided principle of patriotism has painted these South Africans as sinners to the cause of the South African game because their talent allows for interest and lucrative financial reward from Europe’s wealthiest clubs.
Ronaldo did not sell out to Portugal soccer because he earns his monthly salary at the club prepared to pay him his market value and more. The same applies to every South African soccer talent that is overseas based. I don’t want this misinterpreted as saying being based overseas makes a player automatically better than what is based in this country but why choose one or the other when the option should be to choose both or make an informed national selection based on player pedigree and form and not where the player is based.
Steyn won a World Cup at the age of 20. He had won a Tri Nations and a British and Irish Lions series at the age of 22. He needed something to rekindle the enthusiasm of the schoolboy who won his first Test cap a year after finishing his schooling. He went to Paris very much a young man with a sheltered view of the world and return a mature young man with a very different view of the world, of his own country and of his responsibility to his chosen profession.
Steyn, had he stayed in South Africa, may at 26 years old have been considering giving it all up and playing out the final four years of his career in a less demanding Japanese club environment for huge financial gain. He may have given up on the ideal of Bok rugby and contributing to rugby within South Africa because seven successive years of scrutiny and intensity within the South African rugby landscape had drained him and left him exhausted, fatigued and flat.
His move to France turned a boy into the man who John Plumtree has now entrusted with the captaincy at the Sharks.
Plumtree said Steyn was a leader of men, a player with vast experience, in South Africa and abroad, and a winner. He also knew what it meant to be a professional.
It is a fantastic endorsement from Plumtree but also reward for a player who never betrayed South African rugby and also never betrayed his love for the game. Instead he recognised what he needed to reinvent his enthusiasm and to challenge his comfort zone.
Steyn is just one example of how leaving South Africa for a short term gave him an appetite for a longer contribution to the game in South Africa.
Steyn’s story is one that hopefully continues to challenge the outdated and simply outrageous belief that a player who leaves South Africa to play abroad sells out on South African rugby and should be treated as a traitor. Judge a South African player on what he offers this country’s national rugby and not on the country in which he decides to get reward for his rugby talent.
Supporter mindsets must change because the professional status of the player has ensured that their mindsets also had to change.
By Mark Keohane
312 Comments
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12 Feb 2013, 18:27 pm
yes keo, let all the players go & ply their trade in Europe & Japan & devalue the standard of our domestic competitions…Newscorp will keep shelling out dough for varsity cup quality..
12 Feb 2013, 18:29 pm
francensteyn
12 Feb 2013, 18:34 pm
yeah… agree mark…
in the 21st century professional anyone’s can ply their trade anywhere in this global village of ours…
and the bok coach should not only be allowed to, but encouraged, to select the best south african players where in the world they may be based…
12 Feb 2013, 18:35 pm
@ufo-2: LOL
12 Feb 2013, 18:36 pm
@Transformation-1: Transie you forgot your “dragons”. You have been here long enough to know better
12 Feb 2013, 18:38 pm
@bokfan1-5: sorry!
12 Feb 2013, 18:39 pm
bokfan
12 Feb 2013, 18:44 pm
I dont think they are always painted as “sinners ” Keo (not for me personally), and ‘out of sight out of mind’ is only to be expected (when SH rugby is in full flight).
Personally I just think there have been too many “false-starts” players picked from overseas that never really excel (Snyman for Jake, Big Joe for PDiv etc) and then also, often SA players are touted as absolute gods up north, and people in SA clamour for them to be made Boks, but when they play for the Boks (or Super rugby) again they look the same as when they left SA, and everyone remembers why they were so frustrated with that player.
a good example is Ruan Pienaar. He looks amazing for Ulster, and Ulster fans regard him as a god. But when he played for the Boks (in NH conditions nogal!) most people were saying he is still too slow, his kicks too long or not accurate, he doesnt snipe etc etc.
Schalk Brits is another – he runs circles around guys in England & Europe, but he didnt look so amazing for Stormers and only got 5 mins for the Boks (so Im not saying its his fault – he was out of position for Stormers, and didnt pick himself for the Boks).
My point is just that these incidents help to create a perception that NH players are not as good as it is claimed
Rory Kockett looks amazing right now, but in SA he was not good enough to be a Bok.
I agree it can be very beneficial for the player as a person – look at Frans. Luke also seems to have really grown up and become his own person. I was very impressed with his radio ballz interview.
It has also definitely helped certain players (Percy, Frans) but often this has to do with pressure and expectation on the player in SA.
Flouw did got the chance to refine his game, and probably was able to do this with help of the slower game in NH and less demands from the game than in SA.
Hence the game is not as tough or fast.
12 Feb 2013, 18:45 pm
@Transformation-6:
12 Feb 2013, 18:45 pm
Chrissakes Keo… in a pub and had a look online while waiting for associates… and then i saw this article… Excellent. One of his best.
Same as rugby… such is life… a while overseas broadens the horizons, sharpens the saw, and leaves you wanting to do more, embrace more and contribute that much more when returning…
Fransie for Bok Cappie??? Who knows by the end of season and Sharks maybe win Super rugga… who knows…
12 Feb 2013, 18:46 pm
@ufo-7: Very sharp UFO.
I am loving Fransie though and I think he is awesome again.
I am not a Sharks fan, but I hope they start well and do SA proud.
From what Ive seen of the Stormers, it looks like they will play like the did last season. Few tries and no bonus points. Win the conference (maybe) but get knocked out in semis (again)
Please prove me wrong Stormers
12 Feb 2013, 18:52 pm
Given his physical conditioning when he came back I’d say this is an unfortunate choice of headline.
12 Feb 2013, 18:57 pm
@gunther-12:
Yes, when I heard he was going to France, I thought he would enjoy quite a bit of pie and tart over there
Upon his return I saw he rather opted for confectionery
12 Feb 2013, 18:58 pm
@gunther-12:
12 Feb 2013, 19:01 pm
shot bud…
yeah… reckon sharks are definitely the team to beat and frans will have a lot to do with that…
interesting choice as captain… wish him all the best…
the stormers…!!?? yeah they’ve frustrated us fans for too long now…
personally I think they will run it more this season… but will still want to secure the win…
the first two games will be key… if we manage to beat the bulls and sharks then it may free up their mindset…
if we lose to both of them I fear they will fall back on their conservative defensive mindset…
can’t wait for it to start already…
12 Feb 2013, 19:04 pm
@ufo-15: Agree about those first 2 games. Possibly they will have more confidence as it will be “Currie Cup” opponents, so hopefully they will show the form that WP showed last year
It pains me to admit it, but the Sharkies know how to win S15 knockout games. Bulls too. Stormers must join the gang
12 Feb 2013, 19:06 pm
@gunther-12: very sharp of you Gunman…
110kg of croissants…
12 Feb 2013, 19:11 pm
yeah you’re quite right… we blow the super knockout games…but hopefully the guys have learnt from those experiences and are a bit wiser and mentally tougher…
time shall reveal all…
12 Feb 2013, 19:12 pm
I agree with Keo’s point that we shouldn’t attack them for going overseas for a short period. However I don’t agree with his previously stated opinion that we should pick players wherever they play as part of the professional era. For me, we should only pick overseas players as a last resort and give priority to the ones in SA.
12 Feb 2013, 19:12 pm
People aren’t bothered with players making money – good for them. They are annoyed and fearful that a youngster, like Stander, can easily qualify to play for another nation after a ridiculous 3 years. That is what concerns most people.
12 Feb 2013, 19:20 pm
I can still remember Gavin Cowley interviewing Frans, then a novice Shark that had done well in a particular game, & Fransie replying: “Ja, oom, …………….”
Sharks captain? Springbok captain? Whoaaaah!!! Lets first see him make a success of captaining the Sharks during Keegan’s absence – then only can there be some expectation of a regular future Sharks and/or Bok captain in the making …
Has the lad ever captained anything … does anyone know?
Please not another AB-type captain learning the ropes at international level …
12 Feb 2013, 19:26 pm
@David-19:
> we should only pick overseas players as a last resort and give priority to the ones in SA
The problem is the rate of attrition with Super rugby
When the Poms arrived last year we had more than a full Bok team injured
And the players know their playing career will be much shorter if they play Super rugby hence you’ll see more players opting to play up North mid-career while they can still earn the big money
We should use them as an asset especially with the End of year tour, we could give the first line players a rest and send only the guys normally playing off the bench and youngsters and augment them with NH based players like Schalk Britz, Ernst Joubert and others used to local playing conditions
12 Feb 2013, 19:30 pm
Fransie’s defining moment of on field talk:
“Fok jou! Ek het jou nie gebyt nie!”
12 Feb 2013, 19:31 pm
yeah david…
I did qualify that by saying the ‘best’ players… if players are much of a muchness I too would give priority to locally based players…
rhygwyn…
isn’t that because they believe their chances of playing for the books are diminished…? because of the general non-pick policy…?
if they knew they had every chance of selection if they proved to the best in their positions with consistent quality performances, they may not be as quick to sign on the dotted line for another country…
12 Feb 2013, 19:35 pm
@Angostura-21:
I don’t think any rational human beings are calling for Frans to be bok captain.
12 Feb 2013, 19:35 pm
@rhygwyn-20: That problem is sorted for the future If a player had been selected for the SA U20 team then he cannot represent another national team.
Not sure when this came into effect. I think since 2012.
12 Feb 2013, 19:36 pm
@Transformation-17:
I see the hypocrites at SAFA are gunning for Setshedi.
You’d think they’d never been done for that.
12 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm
Oosthuizen on his way back
Feb 12, 2013
Cheetahs prop Coenie Oosthuizen’s comeback from injury is on track after he came through his first live scrums unscathed this week.
The Springbok front-rower, who has been sidelined for the last few months with both a neck and back injury, is recovering steadily, with the Cheetahs nursing him slowly back into action.
Despite missing all three of the Bloemfontein-based franchise’s warm-up matches, Oosthuizen is a likely starter in next Saturday’s Super Rugby opener against the Sharks.
He was given permission to partake in the scrums, after receiving clearance from a specialist, and Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske is happy with the 23-year-old’s progress.
“Coenie looked very good in practices and we are full of confidence he will be able to play against the Sharks next week,” Drotske told Supersport
Meanwhile,Springbok fly-half Johan Goosen, who missed all the warm-up matches with a foot injury, has also been declared fit for the clash with the Sharks in Bloemfontein.
“We could have played him if we wanted to but we decided not to risk him. He has been taking part in full practice sessions for about a week now,” Drotske added.
“The only discomfort he has is a little irritation when he kicks, but that hasn’t bothered him much and he will be ready for the start of the season.”
12 Feb 2013, 19:47 pm
@victoriabok-22:
I’ve got no argument with that. The ABs seem to know how handle their players with sanctioned overseas stints.
12 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm
@gunther-27: eish…scapebok!!!
i saw a photo of phil ‘jones’ setshedi cuffed
very embraboer…nematandani is an incompetent bootlicker if u ask me!
12 Feb 2013, 19:52 pm
@Transformation-30:
What I don’t understand is that all these SAFA hoods were guilty of match fixing and now they have all had their suspensions lifted.
To be a flyboy the wall at their recent FIFA visit.
They make SARU and CSA look like rockstars.
What’s up with sports administrators in SA?
12 Feb 2013, 19:53 pm
@Horings-26:
I think the rule only applies to a countries designated B team, which we’ve never had. In our case we finally nominated the u/20s I believe.
12 Feb 2013, 19:57 pm
@gunther-25: well, gunther, see post 10 in the thread:
“Fransie for Bok Cappie??? Who knows by the end of season and Sharks maybe win Super rugga… who knows…”
but agree that not from a rational poster
12 Feb 2013, 19:58 pm
@Dilligafrican-23:
@gunther-25:
this is so funny
12 Feb 2013, 19:59 pm
@Dilligafrican-23:
you’re good.. you’re really good
12 Feb 2013, 20:21 pm
keo
Fully agree, a change in mind-set by all is needed. The laaities wil return older and a lot wiser for the experience of having played abroad. Some will remain journeymen and play out their whole careers in the NH or wherever.
But what is also needed that we get our heads around is that SH players will represent nations in the 6 Nations or Australia. That has to be a by-product of the strength of SH rugby in general. Whereby players unable to represent the Boks still end up playing international rugby.
12 Feb 2013, 20:24 pm
and something for the rockets amongst us…
new album of all previously unreleased songs called ‘people, hell & angels’ to be released on 5 march…
by none other than…
the one…
the only…
jimi hendrix…!!
should be interesting…!!
12 Feb 2013, 20:30 pm
rockers…
12 Feb 2013, 20:31 pm
@ufo-37:
Where do they hide these songs?
And what takes them so long?
Oh wait… a new generation of Hendrix fans will be born. Deceased rock stars still earn mega bucks.
In fact rock stars don’t die…. they just lose their rhythm.
12 Feb 2013, 20:35 pm
yeah who knows stormer…
pretty cool though…!! read some positive reviews…
wonder if kids will go for it…? will be interesting to see how we’ll it does…
for sure most baby boomers gonna love it…!
12 Feb 2013, 20:39 pm
as neil young said…
my my hey hey
rock & roll is here to stay
it’s better to burn out
than to fade away…
12 Feb 2013, 20:43 pm
@I am a stormer-39:
> Where do they hide these songs?
> And what takes them so long?
Most muscians have songs rejected by labels or deemed not good enough by themselves laying around
When an anniversary comes up, ie 30 years ago “A” died or he would have been 70 tday etc., the record labels launch a new “undiscovered” track together with a “Best of” album or two
12 Feb 2013, 20:47 pm
“reward for a player who never betrayed South African rugby ”
According to reports in the news last year HM asked Fransie on one of his visits to SA: “When are you going to play for the Boks again?”
Fransie answers: “The day when YOU are the coach, oom.”
Right there is your proof that he did indeed betrayed SA rugby. Would he have come back if PdV stayed on as coach? No way.
Fransie has not shown us anything since coming back last year. Not in a Bok jersey or in a Sharks jersey. How then can you say his overseas stint made him a better player? Just because he said so? Let him prove it on the field like Flo did.
12 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm
@victoriabok-42:
True. But let’s see how good they are. And whether they sell well.
And then again, the sales of the rest of their albums take-off as well.
It’s called “bingo marketing”.
12 Feb 2013, 21:00 pm
They should all go and play in Europe…
Ditch the Super Rugby Championship. SA will then truly experience professional club rugby… Provinsialism might fade in some ways if SA form a new tournament with Europe,considering that SA players wont feel obliged to play in SA for a SA clubs….
When you think about it the travel schedule takes a lot of the ‘professionalism’ away from the sport. Why would you travel so much when the alternative is to travel less and to be paid more money. No more jetlag excuses.
Wish SARU had some balls and made this happen.
12 Feb 2013, 21:01 pm
not necessarily…
i heard the boss being interviewed in the 90s talking about how many songs he has…. says he has ‘hundreds’… he writes 2 or 3 times more than he needs for an album… then they select the best in terms of quality, mix, singles and ‘album’ songs etc…
the boss will be releasing albums way after we’re all gone…
12 Feb 2013, 21:01 pm
RT @keocoza: How France shaped Frans: Frans Steyn’s benefit from an overseas rugby playing experience is further evidence … http://t.c …
12 Feb 2013, 21:04 pm
Rolling Stone says, “the album’s first single, Somewhere, suggests his most complex work may have only been ahead of him.”
1. “Earth Blues”
2. “Somewhere”
3. “Hear My Train a Comin’”
4. “Bleeding Heart”
5. “Let Me Move You”
6. “Izabella”
7. “Easy Blues”
8. “Crash Landing”
9. “Inside Out”
10. “Hey Gypsy Boy”
11. “Mojo Man”
12. “Villanova Junction Blues”
anyway… will be cool just because it’s cool…
and will be interesting to hear… and see how it does….
12 Feb 2013, 21:10 pm
also, due to his untimely demise, quite conceivable that hendrix had recorded material for upcoming albums… and this material may not necessarily be reject stuff at all…
12 Feb 2013, 21:13 pm
and back to rugby…
Cape Town – Stormers flyhalf Elton Jantjies is back in training with the Cape side after taking time out following the death of his father.
Jantjies – who is on loan from the Lions for the Super Rugby tournament – was given time out after his dad passed away in Pretoria late last month.
But the Springbok pivot has since returned to Cape Town and, according to the Rugby365 website, will be available for their first Super Rugby outing away to the Bulls on February 22.
“We are very happy to have him back obviously, and I think Elton is ready to go. He is looking forward to the next couple of training sessions and if he gets selected obviously, to play,” said coach Allister Coetzee.
“I think we all know Elton’s abilities and he really looks in good nick so we are looking forward to seeing him play.”
Further good news for the Stormers is that skipper Schalk Burger has recovered well from his calf strain and is expected to return to team training later this week.
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