X-factor Frans to fire
27 Feb 2013
MARK KEOHANE writes Frans Steyn, against the Stormers, will show Heyneke Meyer why he should start at No 12 for the Boks.
Jean de Villiers has been an outstanding Springbok but I don’t see him making the 2015 World Cup and I think this year will be his last at the highest level. De Villiers will still add value to the Boks in 2013 but not necessarily in a starting capacity.
Bok coach Heyneke Meyer raved about De Villiers’s contribution as captain of the Boks in 2012 and indicated he would invest more in De Villiers this season, but the form of Steyn at No 12 could make it hard for Meyer to select De Villiers in his favourite inside centre position.
Steyn has always been used as a fullback and inside centre at the Sharks. On occasion he has played outside centre, wing and even flyhalf, but in his three years at Racing Metro he made the midfield his own and was primarily selected for his physicality in the centres.
Steyn, when he helped win South Africa the World Cup as a 20 year-old, was already a big unit but he is physically imposing in stature and his kicking game and all-round skill level means his physicality is often not acknowledged.
He is a beast in the midfield and weighs over 100 kilograms and is well conditioned. He is strong in contact and he is the only midfielder in South Africa who can consistently stand up in the tackle and offload effectively.
Steyn’s linekicking game makes him a gem at inside centre. He is strong enough to take it to the line and has strong distribution skills. But it’s that monster boot of his that keeps the defence honest and also keeps them hesitant. He provides a foil to Pat Lambie at No 10 and having two such capable out of hand kickers makes it a nightmare for any opposition fullback.
Last year I asked 102-Test Springbok fullback legend Percy Montgomery who he would select at inside centre for the Boks. He said he would pick Steyn ahead of De Villiers but he felt De Villiers at No 13 or on the wing still offered South Africa options and he added he would select both in his run on XV.
But it was Steyn who got his nod at 12 because of how difficult his selection made it for any opposition back three.
‘Jean has fantastic qualities but he has never had a line kicking game. As a fullback you know he is never going to play for field position by way of his boot and you can positionally defend the back three axis relatively confidently against a 10/12 combination in which the 12 doesn’t have a kicking game,’ said Montgomery. ‘It changes the dynamic completely when a side has a 12 like Frans who can kick the ball further than most international 10s and he can cause a lot of uncertainty to a back three, especially if that back three includes wingers who don’t have strong kicking games. He gets the ball one channel out and he can chase you around from side to side and force back a pressured clearance, in which he gains 30-50 metres and his team gets the ball back.
‘I think he is a gem at inside centre and that is where I’d play him all the time with the Boks. He has matured his game in France and he has added composure to the physicality he has always naturally had. He has also taken ownership of his game and has been rewarded with the captaincy at the Sharks.’
Steyn will benefit from playing inside centre consistently this season and Lambie, if fit, being the regular No 10.
De Villiers will play either No 13 or No 12 against the Sharks on Saturday, depending on the fitness of fellow Bok Juan de Jongh, but either way he and Steyn will enjoy a rare head to head battle that should give Meyer an insight into what will best work for the Boks this season and more specifically in his build-up to the 2015 World Cup.
Currently I would pick De Villiers at outside centre for the Boks in 2013 and Steyn at No 12.
Saturday in Durban will tell you why.
Steyn, like Dan Carter, is gold among the world’s backline elite. He has the X-factor.
698 Comments
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27 Feb 2013, 09:53 am
@Tacitus-39:
If I’m not mistaken he played 13 when the shorks played the Stormers last year and he looked pretty decent.
27 Feb 2013, 09:53 am
@John1976-41:
Eish. Yes, those things are important.
I just seriously question whether you watch him play at all.
27 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
@gunther-20: Although JPP is a good fit, I would pay to see a Frans Steyn and Serfontein partnership…
Actually I would pay to see a Lambie, Steyn, Serfontein partnership… Or even better a Lambie, Steyn, Serfontein and JPP partnership…
The other 3 positions can be filled come what may…
27 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
I wouldnt pick both.
Frans would get the nod
Hoping for a bok backline;
15 Taute
14 Pietersen
13 De Jongh
12 Steyn
11 Habana/Petersen
10 Goosen
9 Hougaard
21 Vermaak
22 Lambie
23 Aplon
The cover in each position
15 SP Marais
14 Rhule
13 De Villiers
12 Olivier
11 Mvovo
10 Jantjes
9 Pretorius
27 Feb 2013, 09:55 am
@Bagel-47:
Sadly he keeps getting broken.
27 Feb 2013, 09:56 am
@Bagel-50: “Not his fault IMO”, but then why do you mention it?
A “better Lambie”…?
You forget, Lambie had a niggling injury last year…
27 Feb 2013, 09:57 am
@Bagel-37: he looked lean and mean to me. The long off season was good for him.
@Heavens Game-48: boom boom drums
27 Feb 2013, 09:57 am
Frans getting injured during the 2011 WC was a big blow to us.
He was outstanding to that point and when JdV came in we didn’t have the same mojo in the backline.
I like the idea of Frans at full back, but then he should be allowed to play how he deems fit, not to be prescribed.
If he wants to take 10 drop kicks from wherever on the field he should be allowed to and not be ridiculed by “fans” afterwards.
Imagine playing against a team where the fly half has the potential to drop from between the 15 and 40m lines and then you have a full back who can drop from between the 40 and 55 m mark.
Makes it difficult for the opposition to clear the ball with confidence.
But I also agree that if they want him at nr 12 then it’s good, bottom line, he MUST play, he is that valuable.
27 Feb 2013, 09:59 am
@nortierd-58:
If that happened our Sanzar cousins would change the droppie to a one pointer.
27 Feb 2013, 09:59 am
@hendrikp-40: Well he’s 1.8m and +- 90kg’s which doesn’t make him the biggest guy out there, but certainly big enough.
I’ll be watching him this year with some interest. There is some concern around his distribution, so I’ll be keeping an eye on that.
27 Feb 2013, 10:00 am
@gunther-55: I think it’s because the kids take to much creatine.
I’m roughly his age and was in a boarding house of a top rugby school, and trust me (you probably know) the amount of substances these guys take when they’re young is just disgusting. Muscles get too big to for their tendons and ligements and then SNAP!
27 Feb 2013, 10:01 am
@Heavens Game-53: You recon Serfontein at 13?
27 Feb 2013, 10:01 am
@Tacitus-45:
I’m waiting for the “size doesn’t matter” brigade to bite my head off…
But size obviously is important when you’re asking a guy to offload, break tackles etc.
Twinkle-toes isn’t going to break open the best of defenses. You need power.
27 Feb 2013, 10:03 am
@Bagel-61:
I went to a comprehensive.
We didn’t have money for fancy supplements.
I also think its the training they do.
Too much time in the weights room which is why they are getting all these soft tissue injuries.
They need to do more explosive training and less big weights.
27 Feb 2013, 10:05 am
@Heavens Game-56: Doesn’t matter that Lambie was injured or not, the point remains he wasn’t on top form which impacted the entire team.
I mentioned that it was not his fault to indicate that the Sharks poor run of form (which many used as a reason to move him back to wing) was not attributed to JP’s performance at 13 IMO.
He was the one who broke us at Newlands, brought tears to my eyes in the Stands but he remains my favourite player despite not being a Stormer.
So I do hope he get’s another crack although Jordaan has been great as well.
27 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@nortierd-58: Agree 100%
27 Feb 2013, 10:07 am
@hendrikp-63: Tim-Nanai Williams?
27 Feb 2013, 10:08 am
@gunther-64: Exactly! Probably even more important. But of course the two tie in together. They take the supplements to allow their bodies to go further than they should. Shorter rest recoveries so they can gym more regularly.
The amount of gymming they do, and from about age 13 too…
It’s just shocking and quite sad to see them now, those who didn’t crack it any further.
Just fat blobs that struggle to run properly.
27 Feb 2013, 10:08 am
@stormersboy-62: Why not? He may not have played much there already, but he is young and can be developed there.
I reckon he has weakness at 12, namely his kicking skills.
He isn’t lightning fast, but he is fast enough – no slower than Smith and O’Driscoll – probably the benchmarks at 13.
Mossie, come to think of it, was probably an exception at 13 with his comparative size to other 13s.
I would really be interested to see Serfontein outside a player like Frans Steyn.
Not to say Serfontein is a bad 12 – heck, he could possibly be Steyn’s main competitor before the season is over…
27 Feb 2013, 10:08 am
@Bagel-61: @gunther-64:
You guys are 100% right.
It’s not just a simple matter of building muscle tissue – bones and tendons need time to catch up too.
This is one of the reasons, for example, they recommend that you only increase your weekly running amounts by 10% per week – this allows tendons and bones to keep up.
Pliometrics over weights, I say.
27 Feb 2013, 10:08 am
@hendrikp-63: You need power, not nessessarily size.
27 Feb 2013, 10:09 am
@nortierd-58: Frans at FB… Please no.
27 Feb 2013, 10:10 am
@WP-Forever-70: Yeah that’s what I said, the tendons and ligaments don’t grow with the muscles at vaguely the same rate.
Make them do Pull Ups and Pushups dammit!
27 Feb 2013, 10:10 am
@Bagel-65: A non Cyclopic Stormer.
Well done Bagel.
27 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
Change topic a little bit…
Raymond Rhule knows how to find the try-line but he sure is very far off being genuine Springbok ‘quality’. Going to be a bit of a concern when Habana steps aside.
27 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
@ryecatcher-74: Treacly sweet… Awwwww
27 Feb 2013, 10:11 am
@Bagel-73:
Exactly! Push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, burpies – no need for any weights!
In fact, no need for a gym membership!
27 Feb 2013, 10:13 am
@Heavens Game-72:
Morning HG
Only if he is allowed to play the way he sees fit.
In a robotic do as we say every second of the match team, then no.
27 Feb 2013, 10:13 am
In fact, the only reason I have a gym membership is for the swimming pool and sauna.
Oh, and the squash courts.
27 Feb 2013, 10:14 am
@Heavens Game-76: Hi Herr General.
Hope you well.
27 Feb 2013, 10:14 am
Hoping Frans doesn’t protest playing fullback if there is ever a 12 that pushes him. Best 15 (and 12 obviously) we have.
27 Feb 2013, 10:14 am
@WP-Forever-70:
Pilatespower!
27 Feb 2013, 10:17 am
@WP-Forever-79:
You are starting to sound like Grantie.
27 Feb 2013, 10:18 am
@ryecatcher-74: Ah dude UFO, Robzim and even Grant are not cycloptic. I mean the only real nutter from our side is Skoppie as far as I can tell.
HG, Dusky, Fern and SeanB actively attack the Stormers, make homophobic comment, and insult our beautiful mountain every bloody post they type.
But I’d like to think when it comes for what’s the best team for Boks I’m pretty objective (Probably not that objective!). Stormers need to win more trophies before I become a nutter!
27 Feb 2013, 10:19 am
@hendrikp-52: . Hendrik, I would not venture an opinion of a player’s performances if I haven’t seen them in action.
27 Feb 2013, 10:19 am
@gunther-83:
Love a good sauna!
27 Feb 2013, 10:19 am
@hendrikp-29:
“Won us a game against Australia with two ridiculous drop goals with barely any time left on the clock.”
That was 2006, wasn’t it. A full 7 seasons ago.
“Won us a game in Hamilton by slotting 3 kicks from well past 50m.”
Wasn’t that in 2008? A full 5 seasons ago.
What position did he play in those matches? Against Aus he came on as a sub and against NZ he played FB. We are talking about his qualities as inside centre here. Why don’t you talk about that instead of bringing up heroics by Frans that took place more than 5 years ago.
Ricky January won us a game in NZ in the last minute of the match quite a few years ago. Do you think we should bring him back because of his heroics?… No?…I thought so.
@hendrikp-63:
“Twinkle-toes isn’t going to break open the best of defenses.”
Now, you are talking kak.
I saw Jason Robinson break open defences at will.
27 Feb 2013, 10:21 am
@stormersboy-62: SB – back to our recent topic: I heard Matt Proudfoot on the radio this morning saying that it wasn’t really Fourie’s fault but that the lifters didn’t do their jobs properly. That was unacceptable for him !! Didn’t he watch the replay ?
Eish – Kanko, Franco & co will put Fourie under a lot of pressure on Saturday
27 Feb 2013, 10:21 am
@Bagel-84: You really are quite a myopic little Bago, aren’t you?
“Not us”, he cries, when pretty decent Sharkies were actively hounded out of this Stormfront Propaganda part of the blogosphere…
But I am not surprised… Not seeing the wood for the trees is an endearing characteristic of Storming Capey supporters…
Its the gift that keeps on giving…
27 Feb 2013, 10:23 am
All this exercise talk is making me moeg
27 Feb 2013, 10:23 am
@Heavens Game-76: We are the FEW.
If a Stormers fan acknowl;edges that a Sharks player is good.I cling to it.
These are rare occurrences.
27 Feb 2013, 10:23 am
@Heavens Game-89:
Oh please.
Puma and sharks_lover acted like petulant little children after Nikita referred to Sharks supporters as “pollution”.
There has been much worse. And there will be even worse to come.
27 Feb 2013, 10:24 am
@Heavens Game-89: Who the racist Sharks_Lover? And Puma who went off crying after Nikita gave him a fraction of what you dish out everyday.
They should harden the fark up.
27 Feb 2013, 10:25 am
@nortierd-78: He is a good Fullback… But I reckon he can be an all time great if left at 12… He has played much International rugby, but because of his ability he hasn’t being allowed to really settle at 12 – even though he has won a RWC there already…
Other than SBW, I see no-one in world rugby who is better than Frans Steyn at 12… I do see quite a few players better than him at 15 though.
27 Feb 2013, 10:25 am
@WP-Forever-92: Ditto
27 Feb 2013, 10:26 am
@nortierd-58:
Yes Nortie…but you have to remember that Frans played at centre against Namibia and Samoa. Countries against who our forwards will always dominate and therefor create the opportunity for the backs to shine. JdV played against Aus and Wales where our forwards will not neccesarily dominate.
I maintain, let’s see how Frans go at inside centre against tier 1 countries before we annoint him as the king at inside centre. Playing well against tier 2 countries does not count imo.
27 Feb 2013, 10:26 am
@Dawn-90:
Warm up properly.
I don’t want you to pull a muscle in your mouse hand.
27 Feb 2013, 10:27 am
@Bagel-93: “They should harden the fark up”… This coming from someone who has wet his pants about “HG, Dusky, Fern and SeanB actively attack the Stormers, make homophobic comment, and insult our beautiful mountain every bloody post they type.”
You laughable little hypocrite…
Boo farken hoo…
27 Feb 2013, 10:28 am
@WP-Forever-92: Is that so? Hoo ha… Sounds like Vampire Squid wannabe fighting talk…
27 Feb 2013, 10:28 am
This now brings to mind Georges Hebert and the “Natural Method”.
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