Now back in the less glamorous surrounds of his French club, the once wunderkind Francois Steyn will be left to reflect on a funny old November with the Springboks.
By Rob Houwing
The latest, failed crack at the Grand Slam was an odd one for the team as whole, in that they blew it against Scotland, the side they were tipped to most comfortably see off, while leaping supposedly more perilous hurdles like Ireland and England.
For Steyn, too, trying to sum up his contribution to the end-of-year cause is an exercise tangled in uncertainty, and some pros to accompany cons.
Give this utility back par excellence some well-merited credit, first up: with South Africa stripped for the entire tour of a battery of injured midfield customers, he appeared to step pretty willingly into the unfamiliar berth – even for him – of outside centre from the Wales game onward.
At least the Boks had the seasoned and proven Jean de Villiers on hand to pull the No 12 strings, but they had a real problem a tad wider on the park – Zane Kirchner briefly plugged the hole in Dublin until Steyn became available — and the former Sharks favourite took up the challenge from games two to four.
It would be cruel to say in a clear-cut manner that Steyn “failed”. After all, he used his known physicality to telling effect defensively, sometimes flinging foes crudely and forcefully to the deck – Shane Williams will testify to that – while within the bounds of the laws.
With a bit of luck the Springbok brains trust always knew beforehand, and ought to be even more convinced now, that outside centre is no permanent home for the strong-willed Racing Metro man, 23.
It is normally reserved for a more slippery footballer with trickery in his toes and a sharp turn of speed from the blocks: the sort of player who can be “put away” through a gap with the help of deft creative work from his midfield partner of perhaps even a skip pass from further away.
Through no special fault of his own, the stout Steyn is just not equipped in this manner, and it should have been clearly apparent. He was a stop-gap measure; it was good of him to be a relative fish out of water at a time of need.
But while playing out of position must always carry some mitigating elements, Steyn probably also unwittingly enhanced a growing belief that in plying his trade in more ponderous northern climes he is doing himself no favours for the prospect of continued regular caps for his country.
There were occasions on attack, over the three weeks of his Bok involvement, where he looked too obviously leaden, unsure of what his next move should be, or would arguably even put a bit of a spanner in the works as try-scoring opportunities beckoned others.
The Guardian’s astute Robert Kitson noted, in an otherwise warm assessment of the Boks after they’d given England a Twickenham lesson: “Francois Steyn looked out of synch with several of his colleagues – it’s an occupational hazard if you decide to leave Durban to play in the French Top 14.”
Indeed. The lucre may be lucrative – Steyn is estimated to be pocketing some R7-million a season with Racing until well into 2012 – but is it coming at a rugby price for him?
Anyone who watched Australia’s amazing Parisian demolition of France last Saturday night – the home side left the pitch to a deafening chorus of boos – will also have had suspicions confirmed that the game in that country is in a trough, with the famous Gallic flair seemingly being throttled inexplicably out of its players.
We may be talking the national side to a greater degree, but it is difficult to believe it is all singing, all dancing right now in their Top 14, either.
Under such circumstances, might Steyn being absent from the probably way more up-tempo environment of the Super 15 and Currie Cup be to his detriment more and more?
Steyn has always tended to do things “his way”: he is a rare case of a quality South African player opting out of the fold in his homeland long before he has reached a peak in age terms.
He had won a World Cup by the time he was 20 — it must have seemed like a magic carpet ride.
But has the ride perhaps dropped him off in the wrong place? Is he going to succumb to some damaging form of “rot” in France?
Given his incredible versatility, especially, Steyn should be a prize asset for the Bok squad for many years to come.
But he needs to be careful, because a few positional doors may just be slowly closing on him.
Personally, I don’t believe he is up to the task yet of running the show at all-important flyhalf for South Africa (he’s not a great one for following an intended “script”), whilst the midfield berths will soon see frenzied competition resume between De Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Juan de Jongh and various other SA-based gems.
Didn’t you think, too, that when the sometimes maligned Adi Jacobs entered the No 13 channel off the bench against England, the Bok backline suddenly revealed notably greater zip and zest?
That probably only leaves fullback as a gap Steyn might exploit – many critics rightly feel his booming boot and bodily strength under the “bomb” are best put to use there.
But even there, the likes of Gio Aplon, an altogether contrasting physical beast and with very different strengths, may find they earn approving ticks from key people in the hot glow of the “southern” spotlight, while Steyn soldiers on sometimes anonymously at Racing Metro against La Rochelle and Aviron Bayonnais …
News24
Fransie was shocking and his handling was out of sorts… defensively he was good in the England Test.
The lure of big money is keeping him in France and I suppose he is setting himself up well financially in the process but he better get his butt back to SA after 2011 to regain some form and composure, otherwise he can kiss his Bokke career goodbye.
New and exciting youngsters are pushing for all the positions Fransie can play… at flyhalf there is Morné, Lambie and Elton Jantjies ahead of him already, at No 12 we have Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers before him, at fullback there is Zane, Ludik, Danniller… and Joe Pietersen who is also overseas.
He would not make my World Cup squad!
@ grootblousmile:1 – gbs, He would make mine. Just needs to be with the team longer I think. His defence was very good against England.
Think after his contract is up in 2012, he will head back home.
@ grootblousmile:1 – Agree his handling was not that great.
2@ Puma:
Of course you would… hehe
Where would you slot him in…. Center? We have Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh and Mossie Fourie there…. and possibly Andries Strauss if he shapes up. After all Fransie is playing No 12 center now at Metro. Flyhalf? Morné Steyn, Pat Lambie & Elton Jantjies are there. Fullback? Not his regular spot there anymore and his long range drops do not work anymore, we have Zane Kirchner, Gio Aplon, Louis Kilian, Hennie Danniller and Joe Pietersen to choose from at fullback.
So, loyalty only goes so far, tempered by current form.
@ grootblousmile:4 – gbs, Play him at inside centre. JdV was not that great either and he was playing his rugby here in the CC. Fransie has to get back here somehow, you will notice a huge difference in his game if he was playing here. But he don’t see that happen until 2012. If he does get selected needs to be released far more early from his club to train with the Boks.
Yes, I hear you we have plenty talent coming through in all positions now, but still would have Fransie in my wc squad 😛
Puma wrote:
Sorry stupid english up there. 🙄
Meant – But I don’t see that happen until 2012.
5@ Puma:
OK, so he is still in France next year till and after the World Cup… we all know that.
That to me is an indication his form in relation to Southern Hemisphere rugby and in relation to Springbok selection for the World Cup is dodgy, at best….
I also hope he returns post World Cup to SA, improves and lines himself up for contention for the Bokke.
Till then, I deem him iffy enough to exclude!
@ grootblousmile:7 – I think he will be in the team gbs. Also don’t think it is PdV selecting him, somehow think it is the senior players wanting him in the side. That tells me they know what they have in him.
He should never have gone over to play his rugby so early in his life. Should have stayed on here until after wc 2011. He is earning so much money though, so probably the reason he went.
8@ Puma:
Would’nt that be an absolute kak reason and decision for selecting him….
@ grootblousmile:9 – Like Stegmann? 😯 How did he get into the team gbs? He was woeful.
10@ Puma:
Perceptions… I thought Stegmann was OK.. nothing special but OK.
Do you think for a minute Stegmann was called up by the senior players…. Matfield & Co… come on, I’ve heard better Fairy tales!
Stegmann was there because Schalk Burger injured a rib in the CC Final… and with Brussow already out long term, Francois Louw also not making an impact it in the Tri-Nations, the call-up of an out and out fetcher (only one on tour) was logical, not farcical like you suggest.
@ grootblousmile:11 – gbs, Yes I do think it was Matfield and co, that got him in the side. He had never played for the Boks before either and how much had he played this CC? So yes gbs, you can think it was the selectors calling him up but I don’t. Stegmann was not great at all boeta. If we have to have a out and out fetcher it has to be Brussow next year. Alberts not a out and out fetcher but was far, far better by a long way. He should have started, not Stegmann.
Sharks never had a fetcher gbs, how come we done well with out one? Keegan would have been better than Stegamann he was in blinding form, but I still would have started with Alberts every game this eoyt. NOT Stegmann.
@ grootblousmile:12 – What form was Stegmann in before he got called up? I don’t think he was in any great form at all. So how did he end up starting for the Boks???????????????????? Eish brother, does not take too much to think about who got him in the team. 😀
12@ Puma:
Well, you’re wrong…
You know very little about looseforward play, hey… I can see that.
Brussow is my choice Opensider, by a mile, thereafter Schalla.
SO, let me get this straight… Against Ireland, Wales and England the Springboks forwards were dominant… right…. whilst Stegmann was on the field and also when Alberts was on… but yet you recon his selection was a mistake…. hehehe
With Alberts on, there was a different dimention, he slotted in at blindside flank (go watch the Recording) and Juan Smith played openside. So, suggesting that Alberts start would naturally suggest that Juan Smith has to play openside as a starter, whereas he was sublime on blindside… and that’s his position.
Alberts at openside, you’re quite funny…
Alberts is a machine and to my mind deserved a couple of starts, but at No 8, due to the fact that Juan Smith had cemented his spot at blindside. Here I refer to the game when Spies was not chosen and maybe also for the Wales game, definately for the Baabaas game in place of Kankowski. He was perfect in the games as super sub… and it showed.
You must be careful old chap, me thinking Fransie Steyn does not deserve to be a Bok, does not merit you attacking a Bulls player out of blind loyalty to your ilk, to get back at me.
The issue in this Article is Frans Steyn, his form, his chances of selection… do not turn it into a Sharks / Bulls thing.
So, you say Matfield now runs selections as well…. we’re taking fantacy further and further.
I think that frans must first sort out what he wants to be senter fulback flyhalf or wing,now here is something crasy why did he never move to 8 he will be perfect there
Puma – fully agree re Stegman – he was largely ineffective on the tour. What got him selected ahead of Daniel is still a mystery.
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