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
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10 Dec 2009, 07:40 am
simply the best
10 Dec 2009, 07:43 am
No Frans….you must play for the Boks….dont turn your back !!
10 Dec 2009, 07:52 am
What a talent. Certainly head and shoulders above the players in the top 14.
10 Dec 2009, 07:58 am
Stupid to let this boy go … hopefully he will be back for the WC – still think his position is no 12 – the Bok backline has never been so devestating as when Steyn was there for the WC.
10 Dec 2009, 08:02 am
SA very lucky to have such a young player with so much talent
10 Dec 2009, 08:20 am
We miss him big time!!!!!! 12 or 15 he is fantastic!! He is Mr BMT!! Up there with Wilko!
10 Dec 2009, 08:24 am
Great to hear!!
Great player…
Have always said he had the instinctive game and could (and should) be used at flyhalf where he could become one of the best ever in the world in any era…
when he played that first game in the CC and destroyed WP he showed what he had and could do with unpredictable instinct… but in South Africa something gets lost in translation and we believe the word is “itstinks” and we then go and coach it out of our players because they must do what the coach says and nothing else… play by numbers…
Yeah yeah, I know everyone’s gonna say he must be fullback or centre… but that’s playing the same old predictable crash-n-bash game…
thing is… you’ve got to use this rare talent as much as possible… and that means at flyhalf… where he can handle the ball as much as possible and keep opponents guessing every single phase of the game… that’s where his true talent will be devastatingly fulfilled…
can’t wait till he comes back…
10 Dec 2009, 08:25 am
hope Rassie’s flying to France every other weekend…!!
10 Dec 2009, 08:31 am
@ufo: what for?
fransie is a shark, always will be.
10 Dec 2009, 08:34 am
@rangerman: And the Sharks looked after him so well …. He should of become a Sader.
10 Dec 2009, 08:35 am
@stew:
now your talking,but the Hurricanes would like him as well
10 Dec 2009, 08:38 am
I think it is awesome that he has done this trip early in his career and … I would encourage more young boks to do it, after they’ve been capped though otherwise the poms will try to poach them.
If he comes back to this country with his new found skills he can add something new to the Boks and Sharks instead of finishing his career here, then heading overseas, learning all these new skills and retiring never to add that value in SA because, for some reason we don’t use our ex Boks in the Administration set-up. Good move Frans and hope it continues to go well! I look forward to a new you and the next RWC!
10 Dec 2009, 08:40 am
@rangerman:
if he was ranger bud… he’d still be there…
he was frustrated as all hell in Durban… I mentioned here several times that he was not enjoying playing there… he never smiled and his body language was very ‘closed’… seperating him from the squad…
even some ‘foreign’ posters here commented on how surly and sullen he always looked and reckoned he was an arrogant twit…
how that changed when he got his kicks over in NZ in the 3N… suddenly everyone was commenting on how good it was to see the kid smile….!! He definitely wasn’t happy with the Sharks…
Down in Cape Town however… life will be good for him and he’ll be very happy… will fit in to the life-style perfectly…!!
10 Dec 2009, 08:42 am
@stew: the sharks brought him into the pro game, put him at inside center where he was one of the top players in the first half of the 2009 s14, and then made young fransies dreams come true by shifting him to flyhalf (as he had requested many times before) when ruan was injured.
didnt work out but at least he found that out at the sharks.
i guess there is something about the sharks man, just like the saders. when players like butch james, john smit, bj botha go to play in europe, their first choice of a return destination is the sharks.
i expect fransie to feel much the same.
10 Dec 2009, 08:43 am
@ufo: He’d probably be happier hitting the gaps at pace and actually scoring tries rather than bashing up the ball at half pace and getting crunched at the bottom of a ruck every 5 minutes! That could help I recon!
10 Dec 2009, 08:44 am
@Hurricane: No no – we saw him first !!!! Apparently the Saders were trying to get him when he was in NZ for the Murray Mexted academy – geez the Sader backline would be smoking !!!!!
10 Dec 2009, 08:46 am
@rangerman:
after he beat WP in the CC, virtually on his own… the Sharks dropped him for the next game and then never gave him a real opportunity to settle into the No 10 jersey… hell he was saying just before he left that he still believes flyhalf is his best position and that’s where he wants to play…
you guys are in denial if you think anything else…
Sharks: “we” proved he’s not a flyhalf…
Frans: I want to play flyhalf…!
Anyone spot the conflict…????
10 Dec 2009, 08:46 am
@stew: He’d be a hell of a player already if he had – one thing we don’t do in SA is proper skills identification and development – it’s a case of play and if you don’t cut it then well, you tried but you weren’t good enough.
10 Dec 2009, 08:48 am
all this talk of where we should ahve or could have gone. Facts are facts : F Steyn – Natal Sharks
F Steyn: Springbok
Injuries aside this is the player to watch in the 2011 WC
10 Dec 2009, 08:48 am
@Timbo:
sure he’d be really happy stepping his opposing flyhalf and showing what he could really do…
10 Dec 2009, 08:49 am
@rangerman: Really get the feeling that the Sharks , and in particular Muir, messed this boy around a bit – i think in his first professional season he played every position except prop !!! Surely this is not a wise decision when developing young talent ? This business about utility players is severly hampering the development of certain players ( Pienaar for sure). At top level rugby you have to specialise in one postion and make it your own , swopping and changing just does not allow the player to develop.
10 Dec 2009, 08:50 am
@Timbo: Agreed Timbo
10 Dec 2009, 08:52 am
@ufo: haha, the stormers fans can read whatever they like into his behaviour
it was also reported by some of the ct brigade that he and ruan were not mates but actually they are firm friends.
time will tell man, but methinks oupa stefans retirement will see fransie joining the line at pace, wearing a sharks no. 15 jersey.
p.s. the number of sharks players who have left vs the number of stormers players who have left? which is the happy camp?
10 Dec 2009, 08:54 am
@stew: good morning stew
steyn has always indicated that after his stint in europe he would return to the sharks,
its also part of the agreement to release him ealy of his contract
i think most would agree muir messed steyn around , but muir is not the sharks coach anymore
all i know is if its world cup time and pdiv does not pick steyn , he must have his head read
10 Dec 2009, 08:58 am
problem is south african public are more to blame for steyn leaving ,
their continous insults on blogs etc , their booing him , and now we cry for him ?????
**** 95% in here spoke of him like he is a dog , and of course noone will admit to that
now the kids free and finding himself without the immature insults everyweek
fransie ur my hero kid , its players like you that makes rugby the great game it is
gooooooooooo sharksssssssssssss
10 Dec 2009, 09:03 am
@sharks_lover: ja, i dont know why people just dont see it.
once a shark, always a shark
10 Dec 2009, 09:04 am
@rangerman: lol yup and good morning bro
10 Dec 2009, 09:07 am
Certainly an awesome fullback to have. He would be one of the best if he just worked on his consistency and his abilty under the high ball. Infact, if he sorted those out, he could very well become the best fullback in the world. PDV must really get over his over-seas policy. I’d rather have a CC with young players and an awesome Springbok side instead of a CC with the youngsters anyway for 4/5ths of the season and a second string Springbok squad.
10 Dec 2009, 09:08 am
@rangerman:
you’re throwing out red herrings faster than a panicked seal trainer…!!
you’re reading way more into my words than I said…
I never mentioned his relationship with Ruan… nor did I say the Sharks were not happy campers…
just saying Frans was not happy there…
Hell Ranger go and check the archives… many of the Sharks supporters then were dissing the guy BIG time… but now he’s playing well… for another team BTW… suddenly all the Sharks fans feel all warm and fuzzy about Frans and conveniently forget how they and the management treated the guy…
time will tell though…!!
will be interesting…!!
10 Dec 2009, 09:10 am
@sharks_lover:
hmmmm… South African public….
try Sharks public and you’ll be closer to the truth….
10 Dec 2009, 09:38 am
Glad for the kid, always though the move would be good for him. 2011 player of the tournament right there.
10 Dec 2009, 09:48 am
Hi guys
Firstly, Fransie did not enjoy one bit of rugby at the Sharks. I am a huge Shark supporter, dont get me wrong. But being Booooooed on your home ground, when attemting a 60 drop goal, isn’t my idea of having a good time.and then, when you win the game, you are the hero. They should feel ashamed of themselves.
the Sharks misused Frans at whatever position they needed him to play. And that is a fact! No matter what anyone tells me, if you are privileged enough to have such a talent in your team…. you need to wrap him in cotton. not by giving him more money or incentives, and sure as hell not to Frans. he is a laatjie that just wants to play rugby! Thats it.
How do you manage him….. it is simple…. let him play where he feels most comfortable. Listen, I also think he is destructive at 15, but the fact of the matter is, he will be great in either position. And ask any player… they play their best rugby, when they are happy. (why do you think he is being written about all of the sudden)
But no. in SA, we are loaded with ego driving ******** up in management, who is mostly in rugby for either the money, or the glamour deprived form it. These men would never put a 20 year old loaded with talent ideas and ambitions before their own.
i promise you, if Fransie comes back to SA, and he will. as he is a boerseun. He will go play for some winning union. he needs to win…. he hates losing….. and he needs to be granted some space. do me a favour, go watch the clips on racing metro website. see how he plays. this is what Loffie Eloff allowed him to do when he was 19… that is what made him the rugby icon he is. He plays with the ball, he plays with confidence… maybe this is because this is the most consecutive games he played in the same position the whole of this year.
Now I just hope and pray, as it looks like he is growing up.. he must learn to leave the girls alone…..
10 Dec 2009, 09:52 am
@ufo: He was brilliant in that game in the wet against WP and he was a lot lighter maybe now that he’s lost some weight he would be more suited to the no 10 jersey…I agree that player like Frans and Ruan gets all their talent and instinct coached out of them and certain player just don’t need too much structure because it takes away their unpredictability
10 Dec 2009, 10:13 am
If he shaved his head you couldn’t tell the difference between him and Mortlock
that’s where he should play..!!
10 Dec 2009, 10:33 am
@johnny10: Agree that a player should play where he wants, regardless. UCT tried to force Brent Russell to play at 9 and he refused, he wanted to start at 10. He tore the Maties 2nd xv apart and they won big. two weeks later he was in the Bok 7′s squad. Then he got messed around at bok level and look what happened.
10 Dec 2009, 10:33 am
Class player. Hope he’ll be back for WC2010…
10 Dec 2009, 10:55 am
“I’m enjoying it,and have not been on the losing side in a Top 14 game for Racing Metro” said Steyn…
Obviously he is getting used to a winning culture, so I reckon if he comes back he will only consider the GREAT BULLS
10 Dec 2009, 11:12 am
@stew: 4 – Stew, Yes agree we were really daft to let such talent go. Like Grant10 says. Simply the best.
Somehow PdV has to get him back before the next wc.
See he got some of his long range kicks too. Can only think if he was playing for the Boks against France and especially Ireland what might have been, how those kicks would have probably won us the game.
Good luck Fransie. We know now what we had now that we have lost you. One of our greatest talents and gone to play overseas at 22. Saru or Sharks should have done everything to keep that younster here.
10 Dec 2009, 11:12 am
meant youngster
10 Dec 2009, 11:18 am
@johnny10: Good post Jonny. Agree those that kept booing Fransie at the Tank should be ashamed of themselves. How we could have lost such talent is crazy.
He will never go back to the Sharks. Probably the Bulls. I for one would have had him here anytime even if he went to play for Bulls or WP. Rather still have him in SA knowing he can play for the Boks.
What a loss. He wont be back for 2011 wc as he has signed a 3 year contract. Unless PdV selects him even though he is playing overseas.
10 Dec 2009, 11:28 am
@Puma:
good post yourself Puma… more of us supporters need to see things that way!!!
but… didn’t Frans have a two-year contract… I recall something like that but could be wrong…
Either way… think PdV will use Frans in 2011…
10 Dec 2009, 11:34 am
@ufo: hi ufo its why i said SA public, that includes sharks supporters who have no clue about talent when they see it
i have fought the likes of rob dylan and many more who profess to know all about rugby and keep talking about how **** f steyn is
puma myself and a few others in here have always said steyn leaving will be the biggest loss in bok rugby
i still maintain that, that kid is brilliant
10 Dec 2009, 11:36 am
Hi puma bro
aint it amazing how many now love fransie?? and me and you been preaching this for how long??
we let the biggest natural talent in south african rugby go , eish aint we just the smartest rugby nation
10 Dec 2009, 11:40 am
@sharks_lover:
me too bud… you can check my posts… always rated the guy it and frustrated the heck out of me when **** Muir dropped him and started messing him around after he whupped WP ***…
much as that hurt at the time… really was impressed and thought we’d uncovered a potential all-time star flyhalf…
problem is dickie then covered him up again…
10 Dec 2009, 11:46 am
I don’t see Frans’ move overseas as a loss to SA rugby at all to be honest. He’s getting a chance to just play rugby and develope. When he comes back he’ll be a more rounded player and offer the boks much more. This is an investment for the future, for now we’ll just have to take the pain of not having him in a green and gold jersey.
10 Dec 2009, 11:50 am
I have already started saving mt pocket money to bring franky steyn to the bulls…
10 Dec 2009, 11:50 am
@ruggaboy: i dont agree for this reason
chances are he wont come back soon,
he is that good that he will get offered a far bigger contract even and that will keep him there
and with our stupid system and stupid coaching policies not choosing over seas based players mean we lose
so unless there is a policy change my friend f steyn is lost to sa rugby
10 Dec 2009, 11:52 am
@gunther: lol gunther i have no doubt if he came back it would be to the sharks
contrary to speculations he does love the sharks etc
noone can blame him for excepting the biggest rugby offer for a player in rugby history
he is finacially made for the rest of his life
but nice try mate
10 Dec 2009, 11:56 am
Rocky Elsom returned from Leinster even better. Steyn has all possibilities to do the same and good luck to him.
10 Dec 2009, 11:56 am
hmmm…….i have also always backed fransie and was disgusted at the east stand yobbos booing him at kp.
biggest offer ever sharky?
well i guess that tells the story.
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