Steyn thriving at Racing
10 Dec 2009
Frans Steyn says he has already improved as a player at French club Racing Metro.
In South Africa, Steyn was known for his physicality, big boot and defence, brute strength and his ability to smash defensive lines.
However, since his move to Racing Metro after the Tri-Nations, the Bok fullback said he has had to adapt to the speed and skill of the rugby in the French Top 14.
‘I had to adapt my game considerably,’ he told Die Burger. ‘I had to lose weight to gain more speed and greater explosiveness from standing positions on the field. The fields are muddy and heavy. You can’t afford to be too heavy because then you will not make it.
‘The skill of the French players immediately impressed me, particularly the manner in which they attack space. I’m enjoying learning as much as possible from my team-mates, which includes players from different countries.’
Since Steyn made his debut for Racing, he has helped them to eight consecutive victories, which has seen them rise to third on the log.
His most recent heroics came in the 28-15 win over Toulon last Sunday, where he scored 11 points through two trademark long-range penalties and a try.
‘I’m enjoying it. I am in the best physical condition of my life [he lost 7kg] and have not been on the losing side in a Top 14 game for Racing Metro,’ said Steyn. ‘I can play instinctively. It really makes me happy. I have discovered strengths that I was not previously aware of during this short period.’
Steyn, who is mainly used at inside centre, added that he feels there are aspects of his game that he can work on.
‘But there are also aspects of my game which I thought were good that I have to improve. The more you achieve in your career, the harder you have to work. No attribute is as important as putting the team’s needs before your own,’ he said.
88 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
10 Dec 2009, 12:01 pm
losing 7kg…whow!ricky ,get in touch with fransie..now!!
10 Dec 2009, 12:01 pm
@rangerman: tell me about it ranger bro
i sat watching games and got so angry i was nearly involved in a few fights
idiot behind me for example booing like crazy then cheering when he put a long drop over
talk about a fickle twatwaffel
10 Dec 2009, 12:03 pm
@sharks_lover: ja, i was at the games where he was booed.
i guess it was a lot to do with frustration but in south africa we have a very intolerant attitude and many of our rugby fans have goldfish memories.
thats unfortunately not going to change anytime soon.
10 Dec 2009, 12:05 pm
@rangerman:
and typically they cant see talent till it smacks them in the face
same way with b russel ruan
and watch them mess up hougaard from the bulls
he too is going the same path
10 Dec 2009, 12:09 pm
@sharks_lover: its a problem sharky, it seems our management believe that world class talent is so abundant in south africa that we dont need to spend time on player developement.
a slippery slope imo.
10 Dec 2009, 12:59 pm
@sharks_lover: I admit to it. And I’m happy with my initial assessment.
10 Dec 2009, 13:14 pm
Great to hear. He will undoubtedly return home a better player.
Come next RWC there will only be a handful of guys like Frans Steyn and Brussow who will possess the experience and youthful energy we will be in such dire need of.
10 Dec 2009, 13:20 pm
it’s a good thing frans went to frogland, he doesn’t spoil my rugby viewing anymore coss supersport hardly broadcasts top14…
stay there fransie & finish your contract, if you don’t your integrity will forever be in question like keo & jake said mossie’s would be if he left the lions this year! Stay and enjoy your rugby fransie, where you don’t have capricious, haughty sharks fans booeing you for missing a drop kick!!
Your mate
Transformation
10 Dec 2009, 13:28 pm
@Transformation: LOL! Did you hear Ranger say Frans needs to develop more. How many bites at the apple does this guy get and still not cut mustard.
“55. rangerman :
December 10th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
@sharks_lover: its a problem sharky, it seems our management believe that world class talent is so abundant in south africa that we dont need to spend time on player developement.
a slippery slope imo.”
10 Dec 2009, 13:58 pm
@rossoneri: how much development does fransie need? Grey Bloem, Murray Mexted Rugby Academy, The Sharks, The Springboks, nee f0k if he can’t make the grade after all that privileged development then the likes of juan de jongh will never amount to anything.
Finish your contract fransie, you can target the 2015 world cup, hopefully by then you will have “developed” to the superstar that you’re currently being hyped to be!
10 Dec 2009, 14:13 pm
@Transformation:
at de jongh’s age frankie was starring in a world cup final…
murray could have invited de jongh to attend his rugby accademy like he did steyn…but he didn’t…
10 Dec 2009, 14:16 pm
Frans Steyn has the potential to become one of the greats, possibly even the best backline player SA has ever had – and we include here Naas, Gerber and Oslow.
10 Dec 2009, 14:23 pm
@ufo: Please, as long as you’re generalising, so will I. Every single Bulls player I know (and I know quite a few as I live in Pretoria) save one disliked Frans Steyn and every single Sharks player I know adored the guy.
Does that mean every Sharks fan is a Frans Steyn fan? Nope, but I suspect the majority are.
10 Dec 2009, 14:27 pm
I like Fransie too. As long as he plays fullback.
10 Dec 2009, 14:31 pm
@ufo: Ufo,
From what I know and read he has signed a 3 year contract. So unless PdV selects Fransie while playing for Metro he wont be here for the WC 2011. That is a huge loss to SA rugby.
10 Dec 2009, 14:42 pm
@sharks_lover: Howzit Sharky, Yip, Only a few of us here could see what great talent Fransie was.
Yourself, rangerman, Grant10 and myself kept saying what a great talent Fransie was and still is, only we have lost him to Metro. Pity really hope PdV can get him out of that contract for 2011. Think we are going to need him.
If he played that game against Ireland I have no doubt we would have won.
I have read here once that Fransie does have a clause in his contract if the Boks needed him to play he could be released. Then for a WC he really needs to be here playing his rugby for a year at least. Just like BJ said in the paper yesterday. Players need plenty time to play with each other and to gel. Fransie may lose out now playing for Metro. Think it s a massive loss for SA rugby to lose one of our most gifted players.
10 Dec 2009, 14:43 pm
@vanmartin:
don’t tag your generalising on me dude…
generalising…???
Sharks lover said “South African fans” has treated FS badly… Now THAT is generalising… I was narrowing it down to mostly sharks fans…
he was booed at the Shark Tank after all… can hardly blame Province or Cheetah fans for that… The Shark Tank is specifically the Sharks home ground… Nothing generalising about that…
I also remember when saying I was surprised that Muir had dropped him after his WP blinder and then continued to mess him around… had plenty of Sharks fans telling me everything FS was NOT…
he was NOT ready… he was NOT a flyhalf… he was NOT mature enough etc etc…
fact is most of the negativity on this site about Frans Steyn came from professed sharks fans…
but hey… generalise away if that’s what floats your boat…!
10 Dec 2009, 14:44 pm
@J.B. Cowper: Agree.
10 Dec 2009, 14:53 pm
@ufo: i co-sign 100% with this post!!!!
10 Dec 2009, 15:06 pm
You earn your big bucks Steyntjie, but come back soon, d’ya hear?
10 Dec 2009, 15:16 pm
@Transformation:
a scholar and a gentleman…!!
10 Dec 2009, 15:33 pm
@gunther
Going to IRANZ isn’t the be all and end all.Raubenheimer was invited to IRANZ by Mexted.impressed immensely.but all and sundry on here deemed him kak
10 Dec 2009, 15:41 pm
he needed to lose the weight,needed to lose the pelutance of youth and behave/play like a world class footballer that he and many believes he is.he has yet to reach superstar status.shows glimpses of consistency in this yrs 3N.plus he isn’t a 10 nor 13.he is a 15 first and 12 second.
10 Dec 2009, 16:00 pm
@mshiniwami: Mexted must have been compelled to meet a certain quota to invite Raubenheimer.
10 Dec 2009, 16:16 pm
@mshiniwami:
Hang on.
When steyn was first picked for the Boks for that EOYT tour, his inclusion was met with just as much confusion and dismay as Raubenheimers selection. I remember people commenting and asking who this Steyn bloke was etc.
They were both picked as talents for the future. The only difference is that Steyn actually performed on the tour, in fact, he returned as one of the finds of the tour.
Raubenheimer, whilst he had a solid CC, was very quiet in the UK.
@Pearl Rose:
No, he’s not from SA. Which means he doesnt adhere to the ridiculous policy.
10 Dec 2009, 17:04 pm
@John Galt: i’m sure pearly is aware that murray is a kiwi and he was talking tongue in cheek…
10 Dec 2009, 20:35 pm
strange he says he’s lost weight because he looked pretty heavy in last game, and not partiularly quick either, top talent tho obviously
10 Dec 2009, 23:48 pm
@Big Hit:
Exactly I had the same impression and even suspended that he had put on some weight. Maybe because of that prisoner,s pyjamas sort of kit?
11 Dec 2009, 00:08 am
@tedanica: lol not sure, he still played well but isn’t the pacy player he was at the 2007 World Cup at the moment
11 Dec 2009, 01:18 am
Ja, he was everywhere in the game even in a sin bin…( not entirely his fault though) . I wonder how much he weighs now. According to different sources it has been 100 or 110 kilo before.
Definitely he has bulked up since the World Cup , it was even noticed by British commentators during Lions games. And it doesn’t usually help to keep pace. Shane Williams said that after he had bulked up he had to learn to run in a different way to rediscover his speed.
11 Dec 2009, 01:37 am
@sharks_lover: I could understand some ofteh boos (although not condone them).
He does not read teh mental aspect of the game. For example he will take good possession with good momentum their red zone after we have been trying to get our hands on the ball for ages, and try a drop kick.
There are times for drop kicks, and that is not one of them.
11 Dec 2009, 10:36 am
@ufo: I apologise then – I wasn’t aware that one stadium full of people (and were all the Sharks fans booing?), a few keo posters and **** Muir constituted the entire Sharks fan base.
No, ofcourse you aren’t generalising.
What I just can’t figure out is why Fransie wasn’t booed during every other game he played at the Shark Tank? Did the Sharks supporters not attend those matches?
Let’s be fair. A lot of the SA public are fair-weather fans and will praise a player one day and call for his head the next. This is definitely not unique to Sharks supporters.
11 Dec 2009, 12:13 pm
@transformation I guess the dog in the toyota ad said it all when it come to you “What a chop” but I suppose that even a chop gets to have an opinion, fortunately the only opinion that counts is PdV and he seems to agree with me
11 Dec 2009, 15:20 pm
yes there have been a few “sharks” fans who have bad mouthed Frans, but if you actually asked all his Sharks supporters to log on, this little website would crash! And Muir keeps him in the bok setup … bright bunch you?
The whole stadium at WP boos their entire team??? FS and Lions have empty stadiums during the Super 14. Other than the Bulls and the Sharks, i think they have a fan base through thick and thin (although the Bulls are yet to have a relly bad un).
Frans Steyn is the brightest talent SA has seen.
11 Dec 2009, 15:53 pm
@kevin w:
easy now pal…..WP have not won anything in about 8 years, yet we still have the best attendance figures….So if anyone can say they have supporters through thick and thin its us Province supporters!! Blues have not been through a lean patch in awhile…..while attendance at sharks games arent all that great!
I will agree though that province are the biggest culprits when it comes to boooing though….which i cannot stand!!!!!
11 Dec 2009, 16:01 pm
@Cereal Killa 77: just diverting attention!!
But i must say Newlands can be unpleasant with all the booing and the wannabe Kiwis!!!
11 Dec 2009, 16:17 pm
@kevin w: Bulls had a bad patch. Early Meyer years. Hardly anyone showed up at Loftus during that time.
11 Dec 2009, 22:27 pm
imho steyn is big, fast and strong with a huge boot.
but….seems to lack a bit on vision and hands.
also a bit immature on option taking and handling pressure.
adi jacobs still the most skilled centre we have.
wish he had steyn’s size and power
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.