The 6th Article in the set discussing the Vodacom Bulls.
In this Article we look at the contenders for FLYHALVES in the Vodacom Bulls 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.
The Contenders:
Name: Morné Daniel (Morné) Steyn
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Morné attended Fichardt Park Laerskool and Fichardt Park Hoërskool in Bloemfontein and made his Provincial debut for the Blue Bulls in 2003.
He was a member of the Bulls teams that won the 2007, 2009 & 2010 Super 14 Competitions. In 2009 he ended the season as the leading point scorer in Super Rugby,and setting a record of 4 drop goals in one single match, in the semifinal against the Crusaders.
Steyn has won an U-21 World Cup, 2 Currie Cups, 3 Super rugby titles, a Series against the British & Irish Lions and 1 Tri-Nations.
He is the most prolific kicker in the game today, Steyn will again run a much organised backline, combining great tactical kicking with a willingness to attack when the opportunity arise. Now in his eighth season at this level, the extremely fit pivot will be looking for 1000 career points and a 100th cap in Super Rugby, as well as adding to his three Super medals.
Records:
- World record for most points scored by a player who has scored all their team’s points (31).
- Most points scored against New Zealand (31) in a single test
- South African record for penalties in a test (8) – beating the seven achieved twice by former fullback and now kicking coach of South Africa, Percy Montgomery.
- All of the above records achieved with his 31 points scored in the Tri Nations 2009 match against the All Blacks in Durban on 1 Aug 09
- South African record for most points in a test against Australia.
- Fastest 100 points by a Springbok (8 Test matches, 3 as replacement)
- Fastest 200 points by a Springbok (16 Test matches)
- Fastest 300 points by a Springbok (24 Test matches)
- Most drop-goals in a Super Rugby season (11).
- Most points scored against the All Blacks for a Springbok (31).
- Most points in a Tri Nations match (31).
- Most drop goals in a Super Rugby game (4) (in the 2009 Super 14 semi-final against the Crusaders)
- Most drop goals in Super Rugby (21)
- Most points in a Super Rugby season (263) – Beating Dan Carter’s record of 221 set in 2006.
- Steyn also holds the record for most consecutive successful kicks at goal in Test play since statistics for that category were first kept in the late 1980s. He had a streak of 41 successful attempts that ended on 6 November 2010 against Ireland. The previous record was 36, held by Chris Paterson of Scotland.
Name: Lionel Cronje
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Cronjé was selected for the SA Under 20 touring squad that went to Argentina in February 2009.
Lionel moved to the Cape at the end of 2009 season following an impressive year for the youngster, which included the SA Rugby U20 Player of the Year award. The flyhalf represented South Africa at the IRB Junior World Championships in Japan, where the side finished in a respectable third place.
Lionel was schooled at Queen’s College.
The versatile 21-year-old has played at flyhalf and fullback, but it is in the No 10 jersey where he believes his talents are best utilised.
Rated as one of the best young players around, Cronjé will be looking to establish himself at the Bulls and justify his move from Cape Town, where a lack of playing opportunities and a serious knee injury curtailed his 2011 season. Equally adept at playing fly half or fullback, Cronjé should see enough game time in the Bulls jersey and confirm his credentials as a future Springbok too.
Career:
- 2005 – Under 16 Coca Cola Grant Khomo Week for Border
- 2006 – Under 18 Coca Cola Craven Week for Border
- 2007 – Under 18 Coca Cola Craven Week for Border
- 2008 – Free State Cheetahs Under 19
- 2009 – FNB Varsity Cup, for Shimlas, IRB Junior World Championships for SA, Vodacom F ree State Cheetahs ABSA Currie Cup, Free State ABSA Under 21
- 2010 – Vodacom Stormers Super Rugby, Western Province Vodacom Cup, Western Province ABSA Under 21 Competition, Western Province ABSA Currie Cup
- 2011 – Western Province Vodacom Cup, DHL Stormers Super Rugby, DHL Western Province Currie Cup
Name: Louis Fouché
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His massive boot might be typical of fly halves from Pretoria, but Louis Fouché loves playing a running game as well. The youngster has shown a lot of courage and temperament in his first year of Currie Cup and will provide ideal cover for Morné Steyn during a long and taxing year. Good defence is another plus, but opponents will need to be wary most of his ability to drop goals from 50, 60 meters out.
Additional Players:
If the Bulls run into problems they could always also call on the services of Wesley Dunlop, who captained Tukkies last year and who then went to the Platinum Leopards to play Provincial rugby there, not that it is envisaged that the Bulls would need more than 3 quality flyhalves during the Super Rugby competition of 2012.
Starters:
Of course Morné Steyn should start! He is the current Springbok incumbant flyhalf. One of Louis Fouché or Lionel Cronje should be on the bench for Super Rugby.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Bulls Centres.
Thin here.
I am not excited with this lot.
JL Potgieter was more a Bulls style no 10.
But maybe this year we will see a total new Bulls game.
1 @ superBul:
What is thin here?
Last year we had Francois Brommer & Marnitz Boshoff as alternatives… that was what I call THIN!
We have a Springbok, and 2 exciting youngsters!
I hope they can play at this level , but in all honesty one can only hope, there is no guarantees with these young guys. The fact is they are rookies.
Dont the blind positive feeling the WTR guys had feel so familiar.
Is jy nie bietjie oor optimisties nie.? Bulle sal goed doen maar…… Laat ek liewer nie se nie, netnou se jy ek val alles aan wat jy se.
Ek is net nie so Blou positief nie.
3 @ superBul:
I’m not over optimistic, it’s a re-building year for the Bulls… and on top of it Heyneke is no longer involved at the Bulls.
Let me put it this way, I don’t think the Bulls will fall flat on their faces but anything above middle of the Super Rugby table will be a bonus.
I just also think that we’ve made some astute signing of youngsters, none more so than Sadie & Engelbrecht.
On the other hand youngsters like Arno Botha and Jacques Potgieter will add real value.
grootblousmile wrote:
I am not asking anything less than a chance in the playoffs i demand it.
But for me the crucial thing will be the experienced players leading the way. They will have to take the responsibility. The odd brilliant performance by the young recruits will be appreciated. And if one of them can step up and play a blinding season i would love it. But for me , the secret will be how we keep our structures together and that is were the experienced players must do it.
From a Cheetah perspective, methinks the Bulls will be a bigger threat than most anticipate. They have a very good backline, and good players across the park. The only real question mark is the form of the second tier props. As it is, Kruger is injured, and if the Bulls can’t secure enough possesion to feed that backline, then they may struggle.
Still early days, and we haven’t seen anything from the Guppies, and Bulls yet. But I agree with Naka, the SA Conference is wide open.
Lionel Cronje hasn’t had an extended run at flyhalf, so difficult to judge. Fouche has been good in the Currie Cup, and he will be able back up to Steyn.
Cheetahs have Goosen, Sias as likely 1st choice with Riaan Smit, Willie le Roux, Vogt, and Tewis de Bruyn able to play FH
Bulls have players above
Sharks have Lambie, Froggie, and then Viljoen, and Duwenhage who can help out.
Lions have Jantjies, Butch, and Who else? maybe hein Cronje, whom I have never heard of.
Stormers have van Aswegen, Catrakillis, Coleman, Francis, and Grant.
So the teams looking a tad thin at FH, appears to be Lions ang Guppies
So both Bulls 10’s are VRYSTAAAAATERS?
@ Loosehead:
Guys who always complain that this or that player comes from US is so dof. Rather BLAME the Freestate for their inability to hold onto the “STARS”.
I would only blame the Bulls if Shadow is a success story at the Stormers, we had him and sure we should have hold onto him, he is a true Bull, and his versatility is a great asset, i still feel bad that we let him go. So the blame is on the BBC. Thats how i see it.
When Bakkies , Gurthro and Wynand tried to go to the Sharks the Bulls refused to let them go, that is the way i like it.
7 @ Loskoppie
Most of their team in fact Loskoppie! The Pink Brigade will come down on us like a Hoedspruit flood, with counter arguments la la, la
Mbonambi (Griffons u/16) Flip vd Merwe (OFS u/20), Deon Stegmann (OFS u/18), Jean Cook (OFS u/16 – u19), Lionel Cronje (OFS u/19), Morne Steyn (Sand du Plessis),
Francois Venter (OFS u/16 – u/19), Dries Swanepoel (OFS u/16 & u/18), Jan Serfontein (OFS u/16 & u/18)!
@ Cheetah4eva:
Rather see it as a life chance we give to your youngsters. No work in Bloem, strong young mealie boertjies getting a life and lots of money. Be glad we can give them a life. Really guys , are they all born there? I remember a few years back that Grey College had the best ever recruiting official who roamed(scouted) the Craven Week for talent. He died during one of the Craven Weeks, think the one at Nelspruit. So although most “Free State” players are born there some do come from afar to join the greatest rugby school in SA.
For me it is really not where you are born, where you go to school , where you started your rugby career but where you are UTILIZED best, where you come off age. Now that again depends a lot how strong the unit you join is. Look many of these players would have disappeared at the 2009-2011 Lions team , for example.
Cheetah4eva wrote:
Eish we are suffering here with water.
My day starts with collecting water from the water points around town. And then to carry it in , cook a bit to wash, or splash in a bath with about 50liter of water.
Washing is done with water from my swimming pool.
Here we know the meaning of that old folk song “Kinders moenie met die water mors nie….
11 @ superBul:
Kinders moenie met die water mors nie, ou SuperBul wil dit drink…. hehehe
I am watching the T20 game between Aus and Ind. What a disapointing Indian team, they just roll over. Aussies look like world beaters, India is gifting them this whole series. India was totally rocked by Kirstens departure.
Then again did Micky Arthur made the Aussies this great team, dont think he has lost any game since he took over. CSA must feel they made a mistake in letting him go.
7 @ Loosehead:
9 @ Cheetah4eva:
Yip, just like you Loskoppie and you Cheetahs4eva, those players found themselves a career FARRRR away from Blingfontein…
Loskoppie, you’re in the Cape…. also a migrant away from Bloem or the States, applying your trade there, earning the moola there, right…
Cheetahs4eva, you’re in Nelspruit… also a migrant away from Bloem or the States, applying your trade there, earning the moola there, right…
So, what makes you different from these players, who have decided to come to the beautiful city of Pretoria, to apply their trade in return for moola and success?
That’s how life goes….
Here I am sitting in Brakkenjanpan, applying my trade as well, away from Pretoria, for my own good reasons.
Take Victor, born in Pietersburg(Polokwane) , been to Kimberly, played for Cats but was best under HM and became a legend at the Bulls. Not many Griquas supporters claim him as their Bok, although he became Bok there.
GBS on our flyhalve hopefuls.
Cronje and Louis wont have the luxury that their predecessors had, the massive passing of Joost, FduP etc. He will be under more pressure, i dont see Hougaart with that great long passes, might have missed it because he plays differently.
Lol, No worries gents, we know not all the great players from Grey can play for the Mighty States, I mean really, the Bulls, Shorks, and Stormesr would halve their CC trophies.
I use the u/19 & u/21 basis for determining where a player made his senior debut. Place of birth (we have no control over that) where they went to school, (sometimes a career choice) but generally, we can accept, that a player playing for the Cheetahs at u/19, was groomed (senior rugbywise) by the Cheetahs No?
Interestingly, the bulk of the Cheetahs squad, have been their since at least u/19 level.
Eish Supa, dis taai, maar hopelik sal dit gou reggkom. Ironies dat daar so baie water was, maar min is drinkbaar.
@ Cheetah4eva:
Jy is mos in Nelspruit , is julle OK met water? Julle het mos ook maar bietjie deurgeloop?
@ Supa,
Nie naastenby soos julle nie ou maat. Ons het geen skade in Nelspruit self gehad nie, meer Malelane en Komatipoort se kant toe. Ons was grootliks onaangeraak. Skree maar as ons kan help, die Hilux, kan darem ‘n waterkar sleep lol
@ Cheetah4eva:
Dankie C4E, as my petrol opraak sal ek skree
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