Comments on: Swallow your pride, Pete

By: thambolenje(thambolenje)

thambolenje(thambolenje) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:37:33 +0000

Steyn is obviously very special…and young. He should be in the mix. Graham Henry, Robbie Deans and Martin Johnson would love him in their stable.

But the Boks poor form is NOT due to 15, it’s at 6 and 7 where we are being beaten clearly at the breakdown. Scalk is playing OK, but the open side is a serious weakness.

And Fourie is sorely missed…like a braai without the wors!

By: TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)

TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:41:15 +0000

@David(David)-205: That's only because they are not up against a team that makes that difficult, so they can easily keep the ball and get over the advantage line. Once they're up against a stronger more efficient Bok team they will look to try get it up-field, as they won't be happy being pinned back so much of the time.

By: TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)

TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:34:27 +0000

“his claim that Steyn was off the pace ”

This is TOTALLY ridiculous!

OFF WHAT PACE ???

HE is CERTAINLY not off the pace of the current state of the Bok team … he can ONLY improve that!

WAKE UP!
Why did it take 3 losses to realize this?
And how many more will it take before you get him in here?! Get him in now and lift the team … so we can at least defend the 2N with some pride!!!

By: Bouts(Bouts)

Bouts(Bouts) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:36:21 +0000

@chappy(chappy)-201: Well, if his big boot is the only thing you see in Steyn, then you can just as well go with Daniller who has the biggest in-play kicking boot at this moment, or if you mean the kicking to poles (including drop goals) you can go with Viljoen who's kicked just as far as Steyn. Steyn has a bit more to offer than just his kicking, BUT that was what was missing in the game he played for the boks. He didn't look as sharp in his running. But it was kinda expected in his off-month. JC, they probably do have to discuss how they're gonna get him out of his contract, or even some type of agreement.

By: Croc(1panzi)

Croc(1panzi) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:30:05 +0000

@slate(slate)-55: Interesting point re the locks, and well worth experimenting with (perhaps not at test level, in case it's a total **** up). Matfield could be the greatest line out jumper ever in the history of this and every universe, but if line out jumping only makes up 5% of of play, and somebody's better than him at the other 95%, then that somebody should play. If we had Juan Smith and Danie Rossouw at lock, then we could afford a Pierre Spies show pony type player, who would effectively become a half-back(literally, half-forward half-back), because there'd be 4 other loose forwards to do the dirty work. It might be that locks have been around for so long that everybody just assumes they're crucial, when they're actually not, and we'll never know until somebody tries (cue Pissant or somebody with actual rugby knowledge to explain why this would be a complete *** up).

By: David(David)

David(David) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:20:16 +0000

Interestingly, a number of bloggers have pointed out Steyns value is due to the fact that he forces the opposition to think twice before kicking the ball downfield and the threat of a drop or him returning the ball with interest. The only problem with that argument is that both the Wobblies and ABs are now keeping the ball in hand and not kicking it away.

By: Great White Shark(Predawn)

Great White Shark(Predawn) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:12:14 +0000

@BrisbaneBok(BrisbaneBok)-50: He's also young. He has time on his side. I'd stay for about three seasons. Come back and wait to see which union offers him the best contract. The Boks are going through the worst time in a deacade and he could never have picked a better time to keep his reputation intact.

By: JohanS(JohanS)

JohanS(JohanS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:47:11 +0000

Joe Pieterson ? Maybe a player which you can on multiple positions, but defnitely not a replacement for Steyn. Nothing Joe Pieterson can do that Kirchner is not doing equally as well. Agree with Chappy, Steyn with his experience and presence a definite requirement for the boks going to WC next year. No use in trying to built “new” experience 12 months before the WC.

By: money_man(money_man)

money_man(money_man) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:21:10 +0000

Quite frankly the only ‘complete’ 15 from RSA that can also kick for posts and play 10 or wing (other than Frans) has been allowed to escape to France too… namely Joe Pietersen… problem being he is white, blonde haired and blued eyed also!

By: chappy(chappy)

chappy(chappy) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:21:48 +0000

A lot of people on this blog are missing a very important fact: Forget everything else about Steyn – his massive boot means that opposition teams are reluctant to kick at him because they know they’ll get it back with interest. And this small fact forces them to change their game plan. Once you’ve done that to an opposition, that’s half the game won.

And when he is under pressure he has enough skill and strength to stand up in the tackle until support arrives. Neither one of these are skills you would attribute to someone like Aplon or Kirchner. Jantjies, possibly.

This is a crucial part of fullback play that the current crop don’t posess to any impressive degree.

By: Viking(Viking)

Viking(Viking) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:26:54 +0000

@skopskiet(yliad)-199: Thanks for that uplifting post, broe! Surely a bit morbid? Although putting Morne Steyn at fullback isn't a half bad idea, particularly if PdV is going to continue to ignore Frans for whatever reason. And then Butch or Peter Grant at flyhalf...

By: skopskiet(yliad)

skopskiet(yliad) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:22:33 +0000

This feigning and fawning and gat kruip gat lek crawling all over Frans Steyns overrated @ss is totally unnecessary and uncalled for.

we got plenty enough talented full backs far better at full back play than that self proclaimed rugby god genius.

Viljoen – watch this lad – got more speed and almost the same prolific boot and hardly the groot kop status of Frans Steyn

Joe Pietersen
Aplon
JPP
even Jaque Fourie
or Morne Steyn can play big part at full back.

I’d take Morne out of fly half straight up and play him 15 tomorrow and play a more front foot fly half immediately.

They already missed the boat because both Pienaar and Peter Grant are now gone with the wind, all we left with now is doldrum Steyn and potential JL Potgieter to make into prodigious fly half generals, far too late to read the writing on the wall, it was there for all to see clear as daylight in 2008 now its buried under the ditch. Idiots.

By: SodaJoe(SodaJoe)

SodaJoe(SodaJoe) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:12:25 +0000

@PissAnt(PissAnt)-196: Well I have enjoyed your postings over the years more than the journalists. But I suppose that is the point.

By: Viking(Viking)

Viking(Viking) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:10:22 +0000

@baw(maxed)-190: Agree – although I definitely don’t think Frans Steyn is the finished article yet. He is a great distance kicker, potentially an imposing last line of defense (although it still needs a bit of work and bloody-minded attitude), and he is actually pretty good at running back at the defense and usually crosses the gain-line due to his bulk and occasionally takes amazing gaps… And he really has that Xfactor that totally unsettled the All Blacks last year. (Part of the reason why PdV has copped so much flack from the NZ press, I think, is because they think he is a complete fool to have left Frans out!!)

Now if he could only be taught how to draw and pass and be a bit less selfish, we will definitely have a world-class fullback. I am definitely with Cardinelli that he is the best option at fullback for SA at the moment. I really believe that if he gets another season-and-half concentrating on his best position (i.e. fullback) and with good coaching and mentoring he could be one of the best fullbacks in SA history. Just a pity he has won so much so early, it has all come a bit too easy, and I don’t know if he has the stomach or the attitude to grind it out and become the really amazing fullback that he could be….

So -come PdV, please bring him back, I know he has a bit of a childish sulk, but jeepers, he is a good player, and you need to have your best players if you want to beat the AB’s and
Aussies!!!

(Just a little aside – if one could just marry Gio’s incredible attitude, hunger and speed, and Frans’s size, boot and x-factor we would have the most incredible fullback!!! )

By: PissAnt(PissAnt)

PissAnt(PissAnt) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:48:44 +0000

@PissAnt(PissAnt)-195:

Over 5 years on this blog…

**** I am one sad individual…

Must say I enjoyed the reporters of old much more.

By: PissAnt(PissAnt)

PissAnt(PissAnt) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:47:46 +0000

@Transformation(Transformation)-194: Haha, my god that was long ago...

By: Transformation(Transformation)

Transformation(Transformation) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:45:03 +0000

@PissAnt(PissAnt)-193: he pissant…here’s a blast from the past i saw the other day you’re a funny guy

38. PISSANT :
August 24th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
“Pienaar, who slept in his Springbok kit the
night before his first match for the Boks
against the World XV, doubts he will do the
same tomorrow night. ”

And Jake White sleeps in a Luke Watson
Western Province number 6 jersey before
every match.

By: PissAnt(PissAnt)

PissAnt(PissAnt) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:31:21 +0000

As much as I like Steyn this is not an issue about the player, but more the type of player that he is and the edge he gives any team.

Either we need to find a guy that brings a similar edge (not necessarily the same qualities) or we need to bring Steyn back.

Kirchner is a good player, but he does not bring that.

Time to give Aplon and extended run in the home leg I reckon to see what he can do.

If he does not cut it, get boy wonder back for the EOYT

By: Transformation(Transformation)

Transformation(Transformation) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:14:17 +0000

@baw(maxed)-190: israel dagg & o'connor are quicker than fransie, they're more accurate goalkickers than fransie! They're better thinkers, tactically and skill wise than fransie! How can Fransie be even close to being the best fullback in the world?

By: baw(maxed)

baw(maxed) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:07:40 +0000

@baw(maxed)-190: and sorry i know that is realy hard to read