Francois Steyn, who has been called up for South Africa’s Tri-Nations match against Australia, is “not ready” for Test rugby, according to his Racing-Metro coach Pierre Berbizier.
sport24
“I don’t think so,” former France scrum-half Berbizier said when asked whether full-back Steyn was ready for a return to the high-octane world of Test match rugby.
“I said that to the South African team officials, whether Francois is ready for an international match against teams which are already at their fifth or sixth game (of the competition).”
Steyn replaces Gio Aplon in the No 15 jersey following a 29-22 home loss to New Zealand last weekend.
Steyn last wore the green and gold two months ago in Cardiff where his fitness came under fire from coach Peter de Villiers after a three-point triumph.
De Villiers subsequently questioned the loyalty of the 2007 World Cup winner to the team and his recall comes after intense media pressure as the Springboks continue the search for a first-choice fullback.
After Wales, Zane Kirchner from Super 14 champions Bulls was elevated and made six appearances before an injury ruled him out of the All Blacks showdown at FNB Stadium.
The pro-Steyn media lobby believe the booming boot of the former Shark and ability to kick penalties from extraordinary distances make him indispensible and a ‘must’ for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
His performance will clear up a lot.
It might just be egg in the face for some people.
Who will it be.
Peter de Villiers , because he said the pace of play is slow in France and that Steyn wont adapt to the faster pace?
or
The senior players who forced Peter to bring him back from France?
Of course all the spilled egg on the ground must be eaten by the respective supporter camps. No ways will i take a mediocre performance by FS as acceptable. He was praised as this and that almost made a godlike figure. Now my boy i am ready to eat humble pie. But dont you dare play :poop: or worse than Zane or Gio. 😀
On a positive note lets hope Frans Steyn proves the Racing-Metro coach Pierre Berbizier wrong and he grabs his lifeline and play a blinder.
I think ke is on a hidng to nothing here.
He played last weekend after an injury, he was off for two months before that, now we expect him to prove he is the best with little match time and probably a little underdone.
If he fails, everyone will say “told you so”
If he plays decently everyone will say “well that is what we expect of him”
He will have to drop, place and score to get a positive report out of this match.
@ superBul:
I agree with you to a certain extend but the whole set-up is grossly unfair towards Frans…he should have been part of the squad since the Wales test. He hasn’t played for two months and will probably be rusty and he hasn’t trained much with the squad. Having said that it’s a disgrace that Aplon and de Jongh were dropped. I would have had Aplon at wing in place of Habana who’s probably playing the worst rugby of his career at the moment. I would have even prefered JdJ at 12 for the match.
I can’t even comment on Spies because there is no logic in his continued selection.
@ biltongbek:
I agree completely.
@ biltongbek:3 – Bek, I agree with you 100% there. Our kiwi friend said so too here yesterday. I agree with you both.
I said so yesterday, we must not judge Steyn after this test. How can we? He has hardly played any rugby since the Wales test.
I put the blame right on PdV here. He should have stuck with Frans since that Wales test. Should have played against the French and Italians then the away Tri-Nations tour. He would have been ready by the away tour. Now it is too late I am afraid to bring in this very talented youngster and judge him. Not fair. We all know what he can do if he is fit.
Remember those 3 monster kicks against the ABs last year in NZ? Well that won us that game. That two drops against Oz at Newlands in 2007? That won us that test too. Then that other massive kick in the world cup 2007 that sealed it for us. So YES he should have been kept on to play from the start. I think people with sense will only judge him after the eoyt. BUT then we are playing with youngsters and NOT these Boks. So what a pity he was not kept after the Wales game.
Good luck Fransie, hope you have a big one on Saturday.
Another thing Aplon should never ever have been dropped he should have been playing in at 11 this week. Habs should be the one back to CC not Aplon. De Jongh (spelling) I would have played him too maybe at inside centre. At least he is on the bench.
@ Pokkel:4 – Pokkel, Morning mate. Agree Fransie should have been part of this Bok team from the Wales test. Should never ever have been dropped way back then. What a pity really.
Now he might have a bad game and PdV will just say “See I told you so” Ag, it makes me angry these coaches. All 3 of them.
Puma and Pokkel, morning boys.
I get the feeling PDv is including Frans Steyn due to pressure, but now he is over reacting and putting him in the hot seat, I personally think PDV is setting him up for a fail.
He must go out there Saturday and show the whole world what he can do.
I have always rated this youngster, I know he made a mistake leaving Sa at such a young age, but maybe his naivity has brought this upon himself.
His contract I beleive expires in 2012, so hopefully he returns to the Super 15 then.
I think with him in the back, you have solidity.
And I agree Aplon and de Jongh is unlucky, but de Jongh will get his chances, he is not that small and has oodles of talent in a position where we don’t have much depth.
Aplon on the other hand due to his size, may be a different matter all together.
@ Puma:
Hoe gaan dit Puma….die hele ervaring by Soccer City die naweek was great ten spyte van die uitslag. Lees n bietjie die stuk wat ek op sharksworld geskryf het on ‘the Soccer City Experience’
@ biltongbek:
I think that id everybody in the Bok team had the ‘heart’ of Aplon the wouls once again be the greatest.
@ Pokkel:
should be ‘they would’
The way I look at Steyn (on form and part of the squad) he will be one of my automatic selections.
Currently in the SA backline barring injuries, players I believe you can bet your house on.
Fourie du Preez
Jaque Fourie
Frans Steyn.
The others are all good, but have some competition or needs to work on their game a little.
Morne Steyn is solid, but not spectacular
Jean de Villiers competes with Juan de Jongh
JP Pietersen is solid but not spectacular and you have Gerhard van den Heever who can stake a claim.
Bryan Habana needs a wakes up call, and Aplon could compete with him.
Then the others that must seriously be looking in
Dewald Potgieter
Heinrich Brussouw
Jean Deysel
Duane Vermeulen
@ biltongbek:
I’ll add Willem Alberts to that list.
10@ Pokkel:
Yes, noone can doubt the man’s heart.
The only way I see him as a permanent fixture in the Bok back line is to have strong guys surrounding him, and perhaps the management is not keen to have de Jongh and Aplon in the same backline.
@ Pokkel:
there are quite a number we can add, the sad thing for me is if you look at our current player depth it is immense.
So failure for the Springboks can not be an option.
I think once this dreaded RWC is over, we will be able to bring in the new blood, and that will build one hell of a team.
@ biltongbek:8 – Bek morning, Yip you are spot on there. Think PdV has thrown Fransie in the hot seat to prove a point. Not fair on Frans really. So if he does not get it right in this test he can then feel justified in not selecting him? Hope he does not think us supporters think the same. We all know Frans would have been back right into it had he been with the Boks from the start. So hoping he can have a massive game this weekend.
Just pleased to see De Jongh still on the bench. Felt for Aplon been dropped. Though Habs should have been sent back to CC and Aplon could have started on the wing.
@ Pokkel:9 – Howzit Pokkel, Yip I did read about your time at FNB (Soccer City) this past weekend. What a magnificent stadium. The atmosphere must have been electric. Lucky you….hehehe. Wish I could have gone too.
@ biltongbek:
During the S14 I thought we had immense depth at 6 (true fetchers) and we’ve been found wanting without Brussow and Stegman although one of the unsung heroes of SA rugby was never conciderd for the Boks….Jacques Botes.
Okay out for awhile. Back later.
17@ Pokkel:
Yes, that may be true, but it is bad luck to not have them available.
Jacques Botes is just one of those unlucky ones, like Jano Vermaak.
They play in an era where the competition is just to good.
@ Pokkel:17 – Pokkel before I go out. Have to agree with you there. Botes was brilliant in the S14. Remember that game against the Canes in NZ and again against the Reds here. I feel for him too been overlooked always.
Cheers mate out for awhile.
@ biltongbek:
But at the moment there is now competition for Botes since Brussow and Stegman are out and Stegman was also never conciderd. Now were going into a test with no fetcher again while there are guys out there that can do the job.
@ Pokkel:
I am not so sure, the Springbok management beleives a fetcher is vital, i mean we have played without a fetcher for so long, it was only when Brussouw showed last year that we can effectively use a fetcher that our eyes opened to this fact.
The question is who do you drop?
spies is the logical one, but even while he wasn’t brilliant against the AB’s perhaps this will be his match.
And there is no way I’ll drop Burger and Smith.
@ biltongbek:
You answered yourself. Schalk at 8, Juan at 7 and fetcher at 6
Spies just needs rest imo…
He is a classy player but admittedly not on form at the moment, but so are V.Matfield, J.Smit, M.Steyn, B.Habana, hell even J. de Villiers still needs to impress…
Schalk is no 8, he failed there before and just does’nt have the hands to be a great 8, when the pack is under pressure he drops a lot of balls at the back…
@ Blouste:
Maybe they do need rest but I believe they should be dropped so they don’t think that they are indispensable and I’m sure they’ll come back as better players because of it. They seem to be in a comfortzone and I don’t think it’s healthy. Look at how well Mils is playeing after being dropped a while.
@ Blouste:
My honest opinion about Spies is that he is musclebound. He seems to battle to bend down and play the ball on the ground. A classic example is the McCaw try on Saturday. He didn’t go down on the ground to try and get hands under the ball. I know this will not be a popular comment on this site but that is my honest opninion. Have you seen how Spies always hits a ruck with his chest and not with a shoulder? He just doesn’t look confortable bending at all. He is also too upright when he goes on his rund and is usually stopped quite easily.
@ Pokkel:
It is not Jacob Straightup, it is Spies Straightup.
:laugh:
@ Pokkel:
should be ‘runs’
@ biltongbek: 😆
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