Swallow your pride, Pete
29 Jul 2010
JON CARDINELLI says the Bok coach won’t find a better fullback than Frans Steyn between now and the 2011 World Cup.
The Springbok coaches, selectors and Saru bigwigs will meet to discuss the Frans Steyn issue next week. I have to wonder, what is there to discuss? The Boks can no longer afford to ignore his talents and, as Steyn’s stated on numerous occasions, he’s keen to rejoin the side.
Steyn started the one-off Test against Wales in June. He’s since been cast back into the international wilderness. What was De Villiers’s reason? Steyn was off the pace because he’d played all of one season in northern hemisphere club competitions for Racing Metro.
Meanwhile, De Villiers has failed to find a good option at fullback. Zane Kirchner was ordinary on the 2009 end-of-year tour to Europe, and while he’s produced some determined showings in the 2010 Tri-Nations, it’s clear he’ll never be a factor at Test level.
At 23, Steyn has won a World Cup, a series against the British & Irish Lions, a Tri-Nations crown and a Currie Cup. He’s played 37 times for South Africa, starting 20 Tests. In the matches he’s started, the Boks have won 17 and lost only three. Included in those starting wins are the last six 2007 World Cup Tests, four 2009 Tri-Nations games and the first two Lions fixtures.
You can’t compare Steyn to Kirchner or any other South African fullback option. He has the all-round game the Boks require. His powerful boot has become so vital to the Boks’ line-kicking game, and he’s able to kick those record-breaking penalties from within his own half. As seen by his recent exploits in France, he’s also capable of nailing some outrageous drop-goals from 60m out.
Jake White deployed Steyn at centre in the 2007 World Cup in order to extract value from his formidable stature, but the man also provides a useful running option from the back. While Kirchner lacks attacking incision, Gio Aplon is renowned for those gliding runs from the deep. In comparing Aplon and Steyn, you have to ask whether Aplon’s primary threat trumps Steyn’s all-round value. And can you ignore the fact that despite his age, Steyn has won the big Tests for South Africa and has an overall win ratio of 75%? Obviously not.
Conrad Jantjes recently began his comeback to rugby, and after speaking to him, I don’t think the Boks should expect him to be Test ready until 2011. He suffered a broken leg in May 2009 and is still not completely over his injury. He spoke about this year’s Currie Cup as part of his rehabilitation, and it may be some time before he can go flat out.
Perhaps a strong showing in the 2011 Super 15 will bring Jantjes back into Bok contention, but for the moment, it wouldn’t be fair to consider him and option.
If De Villiers needs to make a rugby decision, he should bring Steyn back for the home leg of the Tri-Nations and pick him for the Grand Slam tour. Steyn’s spent a year in northern conditions and his knowledge thereof will be an asset.
But the relationship between the Bok coach and Steyn has been on the rocks since the player announced his move to France last year. There’s been little communication between the two, and although De Villiers released a statement this May claiming they’d resolved their differences, his claim that Steyn was off the pace and his refusal to pick Steyn for more than one Test speaks volumes.
Three consecutive Tri-Nations defeats, however, could lead to that pride being placed on the shelf. De Villiers is desperate to save face in this tournament, which is now New Zealand’s to lose. He must reinstate South Africa’s best fullback option, and invest in him for next year’s World Cup.
So come on Pete, stop wasting time. Give the kid a call, and show the faith in him that you showed in 2008 and 2009. Think 17 wins from 20 starts. You won’t be disappointed.
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210 Comments
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29 Jul 2010, 12:51 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-99:
you
watch it
this
bulls team
plays rugby
that this
fat
and clever
old porra
hasn’t seen
for
a long time
there
are just
a few
things
that have
to click
and the rest
will be
history
29 Jul 2010, 12:52 pm
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra)-101:
Yes Ma’am!
29 Jul 2010, 12:52 pm
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra)-97:
The Currie Cup only awards points for wins not “awesomeness” unfortunately.
29 Jul 2010, 12:53 pm
Does anyone know when Brussow is back. Im not sure if I can watch another SA test until then?
29 Jul 2010, 12:55 pm
There’s only one frankie steyn
There’s only one frankie steyn
There’s only one frankie steyn
There’s only one frankie steyn…
Ps Duane Vermullet at no8?
Do me a favour … he was owned by the bulls loosies in the super 14 final.
The guy is a carthorse.
29 Jul 2010, 12:57 pm
@gunther(gunther)-105:
Really didn’t even notice that!
29 Jul 2010, 12:57 pm
@gunther(gunther)-105: yes, and he is busy shagging men in france
29 Jul 2010, 13:09 pm
Transie
If you say so… I bow to your superior knowledge on the subject.
Billie
Obviously you are a province supporter so you are under the illusion that your loosies dominated that day.
Which makes the result even more perplexing for sure.
29 Jul 2010, 13:22 pm
15 Steyn/Jantjies/Joe Pietersen
14 Vd Heever/JP Pietersen
13 Fourie/De Jongh
12 De Villiers/De Jongh
11 Habana/Aplon
10 Grant/Steyn
9 DuPreez/Vermaak/Hougaard
8 Spies/Burger
7 Smith/Flouw
6 Brussouw/Burger
5 Matfield/Bekker
4 Roussouw/Fondse/Skeat
3 Steenkamp/Beast
2 Smit/Bismarck
1 CJ/BJ/Jannie
My squad won’t happen but worth a shot
29 Jul 2010, 13:29 pm
100% agree Jon,
Bring back Steyn
29 Jul 2010, 13:35 pm
@slate(slate)-55: lol are you even serious??
3. “Who cares, it’s a prop”- Its a tighthead prop…one of the most important positions…cornerstone of the scrum.
And you have Vermeulen and Smith at 4 and 5….No Matfield and Danie???
5 Loosies on the park? And keegan daniel at 7
lol
29 Jul 2010, 13:38 pm
WC 2011
15. Lambie
14. JPP
13. Fourie
12. F Steyn
11. Habana
10. James
09. Du Preez
08. van Niekerk
07. Smith (c)
06. Brussouw
05. Bekker
04. Rossouw
03. BJ
02. Bismarck
01. Beast
This is the 07 WC Backline (Lambie for Percy), the only bok backline that got the upperhand over their opponents in the last 10 years of Sprinkbok rugby. 9 to 15 minus 11 are all good defenders.
Smit won’t go because he won’t leave the boks in Matfields incapable hands, for which I’m grateful, Juan provides the solution, Bekker better than Matfield by far anyway.
29 Jul 2010, 13:42 pm
@Bluewhitegreengold(Bluewhitegreengold)-109: Burger cant play 6
29 Jul 2010, 13:42 pm
Gerhard vd Heever…now there is a player that will never reach the hype surrounding him. The guys scored one good try, and suddenly he is great. Ag please, the guy is a nobody. In 8 years time he will, like Mametsa, play in his 80th CurrieCup match, his 200th Vodacom Cup game, and people will say stuff like “gee, what a loyal servant to Bulls rugby”.
29 Jul 2010, 13:43 pm
Didnt anyone see Lambie play at 12 on the w end. He is the real deal, maybe an awesome 10 in the making if managed correctly
29 Jul 2010, 13:45 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-111: What seems to be the issue regarding Keegan? Apart from being a bit arrogant. He has already scored 6 tries in 3 games this Currie Cup, he defintely doesnt lack motivation, is a tenacious defender, unlike Spoes. And dont give me the “he is too small” story. The big 915kg Bok pack had their arses whipped recently, so the size matters theory is null and void.
29 Jul 2010, 13:50 pm
Give me 3 loose forwards to go to war with, and I will have Daniel, Botes and Brussouw, 3 of the smallest, but damn, they will never let you down.
29 Jul 2010, 13:50 pm
read no comments….
But for what its worth ….here is mine.
F Steyn would be the first name i put on my Bok teamsheet if he is fit and willing.
At 12 or 15……every day of the week.
29 Jul 2010, 14:03 pm
#118 – I’m up with you Grant and Jon all the way – a no-brainer of spectacular proportions … those are compelling stats in your article
In fact I’d rather have Frans Steyn than P de V. – how’s that for irony and a reality check?
And comparing Aplon under the high ball and long-distance clearance – and all the other things, not least of all his physicality, that Steyn brings to the table, including a BMT (big-match temperament) kicking for posts that Ruan Pienaar will never have … the list of his attributes is endless, and the fact that he might be a self-believing, big-headed prima donna is neither here not there, probably crucial to his performance like Muhammed Ali and Usain Bolt
29 Jul 2010, 14:05 pm
@grant10(grant10)-118: Wow before F dp, Brussow and M Steyn. Can’t agree on that one
29 Jul 2010, 14:08 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-115: he could be a great 10, just a shame he’s at the sharks, where he will be shifted around till he ends up in europe. he must move to another province and soon.
29 Jul 2010, 14:10 pm
118. grant10(grant10) :
Yip I’d agree with you there. I do like him at 12 as well but with JDV around I’d have him at 15 now.
29 Jul 2010, 14:11 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-120: grant thinks M steyn is kak
29 Jul 2010, 14:11 pm
122. Mike H(Mike H) :
Also would like to see De Jong get game time at 12 so would rather not want Steyn and JDV and De Jong fighting for that spot right now.
Come world cup you take your best option.
29 Jul 2010, 14:14 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-123: 1 dimensional altitude koeksister…..as soon as the Melktert out of reach M S wilts like a overripe avocado pear
29 Jul 2010, 14:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-123: Well theres 2 players I would never go into a test match without. A reliable goal kicker and a genuine fetcher.
29 Jul 2010, 14:17 pm
@toe-jam(toe-jam)-121: Ja that does seem to be the trend in Shark country lately
29 Jul 2010, 14:18 pm
@Mike H(Mike H)-124: Juan is a actually a natural 13 and Im excited to see him finally get a chance there in J Fouries absence
29 Jul 2010, 14:19 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-115:
Easy…has potential but also it was just the Pumas who gave Sharks one hell of a scare.
Secondly it is just CC rugby,diluted comp at present as well.
He is one for the future but proclaimation is premature.
He is at his best at 15,had a solid S14 & u20 tournament there as well.
Jury still out at 10/12 vs quality opposition…the likes of Stefan Watermeyer etc arent.
He’s a solid 15 thats for sure.
29 Jul 2010, 14:20 pm
For the rest of this year my team would be:
1)Steencamp
Vermulen
2)Chillie (Needs to prove he is not a political pawn – give him a real chance to do it.
3)Botha
4)Bakkies – hardly played this year so far (Danie until suspension is over – mayeb give Flip a real go)
5) Bekker (if fit) – Hargreaves (but not a massive Hargeaves fan)
6) Burger/Potties
7) Smith/Louw
9) Pienaar/Hougaard
10) Steyn/James (Steyn still needs more test experience)
11) Aplon
12) De Jong
13) This worries me – I really don’t think we have a lot of 13 depth. Fourie needs rest. (Maybe JDV here)
14)JP Pieterson (needs game time)
15) Kirchner/Steyn
Smith/Burger or JDV captain
29 Jul 2010, 14:21 pm
@grant10(grant10)-125: hahahaha
your analogies keep me in fits of laughter boet!!!!! Keep them up 
29 Jul 2010, 14:23 pm
P divvy this is it:
1. Keep GS with Beast off bench
2. Move JS to management until he loses 10kgs. bring in Gary Botha with Bismarck hovering.
2. BJ with W Kruger waiting
4. Victor but REST HIM SOON and he must wake up. Bekker around in squad asap
5. Danie. But also must wake up
6. Heinrich asap or Louw as fetcher or Stegmann as fetcher BUT ALWAYS PLAY A F8CKIN FETCHER
7. Juan first then Schalk (prob bench)NOT TOGETHER AS FLANKS AS THEY PLAY THE SAME GAME. Seriously
8. Spies – but he must wake up. Kanko 2 and Duane 3.
9. Fdp as soon as he is able to stand upright. Then Pienaar. Send Ricky to gym
10. Get Peter Grant asap and apologise for being such a pr*ck to him. Morne in the picture but ONLY if FdP is there and NEVER with Wynand outside him. tell Butch it was all a terrible mistake and sorry for the inconvenience.
12. Jean. What the f*ck are they doing breaking up possible the best centre pairing sonce readmission? Am i missing something? Jean de jongh covers both centres. Wynand as last resort, maybe.
13. Fourie you legend
14. JPP back fast, Aplon yes in the pic and coming on nicely.
11. Habs given a nice cosy chat …”we promise to get the ball to you a bit more but stay out and defend wide a bit more, only go for intercept 4 times a game..” Keep Bjorn basson and Hougaard in the picture – they are both future legends
15. Apologise profusely to one of the most talented prodigies of his generation, Mr F Steyn, beg forgiveness and ask for his return. Tell Zane to stick around.
And stop talking k*k to the press.
And that’s it.
29 Jul 2010, 14:26 pm
130. Mike H(Mike H) :
Come Wc after a good rest and conditioning focus I’d take:
1 Beast/Steencamp
2 Smit/Bissie (possibly Chillie if he proved himself this year.)
3 Botha/CJ
4 Bakkies/Russouw
5 Victor/Bekker
6 Burger/Potties
7 Smith/Louw (maybe Brussouw rather than Louw if low doesn;t step up this year.
8 Spies/Vermulen
9 Du Preez/Pienaar
10 Steyn/James
11 Habana/Aplon
12 JDV/De Jong
13 Fourie
14 JP Pieterson
15 Steyn
Smit as Captain
The run on team apart from Steyn would all be from JW’s squad.
29 Jul 2010, 14:38 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-129: ngiyabonga mfowethu! I guess we’ll always be killing these flare ups of hyperbole about some players. Funny thing is bjorn basson made lambie look ordinary and a carthorse! Yet his foray at 12 is trumpeted as like it’s the 2nd coming of you know who!
I sommer got bored watching that game, capostagno was lauding everything lambie did…even a lousy pass…’oh what a great pass by lambie’ ffs he is a rugby player, he should know how to pass the ball!
29 Jul 2010, 14:41 pm
The reason Peter’s voice is so squeaky is because he has a really narrow throat. Far too narrow to swallow that massive lump of pride.
29 Jul 2010, 14:43 pm
W kruger? W Kruger? OMG,he got his butt kicked in the Freestate game. You Bulls supporters must realise that there is talent around that doesnt wear a mof blou shirt.
That youngster from the Cheaters looked fantastic, Coenie Oosthuizen.
29 Jul 2010, 14:45 pm
Sharks Team for Sat.
15 Ludik
14 JP
13 Stef
12 Lambie
11 Mvovo
10 Meyer
9 Mcleod
8 Kankowski
7 Daniel
6 Botes
5 Skeate
4 Sykes
3 Herbst
2 Burden
1 Cilliers
16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Beast, 18Vn Staden, 19 Alberts, 20 Deysel. 21 Kockott, 22 Strauss.
Not too shabby. Like the fact Alberts and Deysel are being treated with caution, watch out for them early in the second half.
29 Jul 2010, 14:52 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-137:
loose trio a bit lightweight for the first 60 minutes.
would have preferred more grunt with deysel and alberts and had daniel and botes on later when vrystaat a bit tired.
29 Jul 2010, 14:56 pm
134. Transformation(Transformation) :
’oh what a great pass by lambie’ ffs he is a rugby player, he should know how to pass the ball!
HAHAH classic.
138. charo(charo) :
I have a house in Orlando Florida on Charo Parkway
29 Jul 2010, 14:56 pm
@charo(charo)-138: Dropping Daniel now would be like….like….like dropping Frans Steyn. A DISGRACE.
29 Jul 2010, 14:56 pm
“The Springbok coaches, selectors and Saru bigwigs will meet to discuss the Frans Steyn issue next week. ……..”
WHY………….?
According to Peter de Clown……….these loses are part of an IRB conspiracy to make NZ look good in the lead up to the WC.
So there is no problem to fix.
The problem is out of Your hands……………..It’s Friggen Global Okes.
You canny fix a Global Plot.
Your Team is not frigggen useless.
It only looks like it is.
29 Jul 2010, 14:59 pm
i think the cheetahs were lucky to beat the bulls … i think the bulls got a bit complacent in the second half, also stegmann’s injury played a part …. Sharks by 10+
29 Jul 2010, 15:00 pm
@charo(charo)-138:
Ya, tough one. Deysel and Alberts havent played any rugby for a while now.
Think Daniel and Botes will be ok. Daniel was bloody good against the Bulls.
29 Jul 2010, 15:01 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-134: boo hoo for you transie.
the bulls fans also got bored i bet.
lambie broke the line beautifully imo.
on more than one occasion, but i agree the hype is getting too much. he is no more than average springbok level at present, much like ricky and chili
29 Jul 2010, 15:02 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-141: Peter just can’t understand the favouritism shown to NZ in NZ, he is a straight shooting guy and has to try to rationalise it some way. The rest of us however are used to watching it as the ABs have been getting gifts at home from refs for the past decade. No nation is better at influencing refs via illicit means and putting Paddy O’Kiwi in charge of the IRB reffing was a terrible mistake (albeit one that backfired on the NZIRB with the appointment of the fair-minded Barnsey in Cardiff ’07).
29 Jul 2010, 15:02 pm
I’ll always be a big Francois Steyn fan! Kirchner is absolute rubbish and I never ever suggested him in there, Joe Pietersen deserved a Bok spot far more (even if smaller and I am a bull). But don’t forget Kirchner is the new blue eyed Earl Rose of PDV, and lord knows what it will take for PDV to realize what Keo has just said.
I have to say that I have my doubts over Matfield too and not since the 3N started. On many an occasion I chcuked my ice cold Castle at the TV during the S14 this year, as Matfield was sluggishly jogging to the rucks. Plenty of Bulls friends also expressed their belief in playing the new boys at lock (but then again Matfield was champ in the final against the Stromers. Perhaps he should stop pointing fingers and demanding match fees for poor discipline, and start looking deep inside. Lead from the front Victor!
John Smit has been poorer at hooker this season than Wahl Bartman on LSD could ever be. I would most definately give the Chilli a go (he’s shown some eagerness in the few minutes he has played)…If SA rugby could drop Teichman, they can kick old fatty under the arse too. Poor throwing, poor captaincy, poor hooking (scrumming pretty well) and on the verge of being declared obese!
Play that laaitie with the kak hairstyle at scrummie (Hougaard)… Surely he’s better than January and Pienaar (now there is a waste of time). We should get rid of Ruan Pienaar asap. He should never be allowed to play rugby in SA again. I have serious doubts over his intelligence too.
Pierre Spies has been found out at last. I have been telling the blokes about the rubbish he is. Looks marvelous when there is no work to be done. His physical coordination also looks a bit off. He looks unbalanced when attacking the rucks, almost like his legs are to thin. We need a number 8 with very hairy legs and he must stink of opposition armpits. Not some flashy straight line running mamma’s boy! When the going gets tough the Spies gets nowehere.
Schalk can stay he was the only player who looked even remotely interested last week. And Kankowski should go join Pienaar on the Island we send them too. He is not and will never be Springbok material. Stick with Francois Louw, he is learning and more than eager enough with size.
Props are not too shabby and our scrums are great nowadays.
Wynand Olivier, what can I say: He is swakker than the Jaar Vergadering van die Vroue Federasie. A solid bench player for a Currie Cup team. Stick with de Jongh and give him some game time (considering the WC is next year)…
And that brings us to the biggest f-up of them all… Old Snor. F*ck nows folks this bloke doesn’t have any clue. His actions certianly didn’t sit well with the seniors and he couldn’t motivate two snot nosed street kids to buy ice-cream.
I reckon they should arrange a Springbok day for the boys. Show them tapes of old Joggie Jansen’s tackle, of our proud history, of what Springbok rugby is about! Get them to understand that a 30 point thrashing three weeks in a row simply does not happen to the greatest rugby team that has ever walked the galaxy!
29 Jul 2010, 15:03 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-144: terrific talent, will be interesting to see if he can make the 12 spot his own as the Boks could use a distributing centre of his ilk in their malfunctioning backline.
29 Jul 2010, 15:04 pm
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra)-101:
FREE STATE
donnered
the
bulls
29 Jul 2010, 15:05 pm
okey, so IF the conspiracy theory stands true that NZ are helped to build up momentum for World Cup, then how, my dear plonkers, do you explain the woopin at the hands of the Wobblies. And what happens to the theory if the Wobblies beat the Blacks on the weekend?
29 Jul 2010, 15:06 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-147: he is indeed biggie.
as is basson actually.
i think we will see lambie in the 10 jersey sometime soon but imo, after watching him live all year he has a very limited boot, much like peter grant.
so maybe center is a better option for him as his kicking game does not need to be as polished there?
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