To think that a year ago we were still debating whether or not Morné Steyn had the pedigree to make it at international Test level? Now, the bigger question is who exactly will deputise for him when the Tests roll around.
Brenden Nel, SuperRugby
Steyn has truly had a remarkable 12 months, and given the chance, has chosen to excel against the expectations of many outside Pretoria, including the Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
I remember standing at the arrivals hall of OR Tambo airport on the morning of the Super 14 final, a week after Steyn had kicked four drop goals against the Crusaders. The Springboks had just returned from their practice match against the Namibian XV in Windhoek, and while we were waiting for our luggage, I asked De Villiers if Morné had done enough to make his team, to be announced later that evening.
“I’m not sure,” he replied, “He’s had a great season, but I don’t know if he has that extra something that is needed to make it at Test level.”
A few hours later Steyn was part of a Bulls side that swept to the title, and had answered De Villiers unequivocally with his play. Then he answered it once more when he finally got onto the field and was a key player in both the Test series against the British and Irish Lions and the Tri Nations victories.
Steyn has simply continued that form this year with 77 points in three games, with three sparkling tries in that equation.
But considering that De Villiers can sleep easy now knowing he has his first-choice pivot in fine form during the Super 14, who is the rightful deputy to Steyn when this year’s rather full Test programme runs its course?
The fact that the Sharks and Lions have both decided to invest heavily in overseas flyhalves doesn’t help the cause much, while a dearth of talent in the rest of the franchises leaves a gaping hole when you look beyond Steyn.
There has even been talk of Butch James returning to South Africa, a move which will significantly boost the depth of the position in the country.
The most obvious candidate is still Ruan Pienaar it seems. Having played on and off for the Sharks in the position and with the backing of De Villiers at national level, Pienaar is the likely choice as second flyhalf in the Bok squad later this year, especially as his versatility gives the Boks many other options.
But lets’ be honest. Pienaar hasn’t looked happy in the position when he has played for the Sharks and John Plumtree’s insistence on moving him every week into a new role has hardly given him the confidence to settle down in the position.
Add to that the influx of Juan Martin Hernandez, the short and mystifying stay of Steve Meyer and now Andy Goode’s arrival and it is no wonder Pienaar has to check the team sheet every week to hear if he is indeed, a scrumhalf, a flyhalf, wing or fullback.
The Lions have a good young talent in Burton Francis, but with Carlos Spencer at the helm, it is doubtful if Francis will get enough time in the position to stake a positive claim.
Francis, while talented, is also at an age where he needs to be nurtured, and throwing him into the deep end at international level could well have disastrous consequences.
The Cheetahs have Naas Olivier, a dead shot with the boot, but one who at 77kg is a bit small for Test rugby and has still not commanded the sort of form that would have his name pencilled in at national level.
Peter Grant has had a decent run at the Stormers, but there is still a niggling reminder that “bash” is more of an inside centre than a flyhalf, and while the Stormers have been good, he also hasn’t set the world alight with his play.
Joe Petersen’s handling of the kicking duties at the Stormers also does Grant no favours, and with Willem de Waal languishing in the Vodacom Cup, it is difficult for the Emerging Boks’ flyhalf to make a telling challenge for the position.
So who else is left? Earl Rose can play flyhalf if needed, but even the mention of his name will bring howls of anger from some quarters while Jacques-Louis Potgieter hasn’t had enough game time to prove himself.
Petersen is another who can handle the pivot position, and is in good nick at the moment, yet he is probably more suited to fullback where he can attack from deep and use his skills more wisely.
James is probably the favourite from the expats, with Derick Hougaard’s good form in Guinness Premiership not likely to be a factor as he is out of favour with the selectors anyway.
Frans Steyn has been playing more at centre for Racing Metro, but is another, albeit rather wayward option to consider.
De Villiers may be sitting pretty with Steyn’s form right now, but like me, he will be praying for a safe passage through the Super 14.
Its funny how things change in a year, isn’t it?
March 9th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
You ned 3 tens in the squad. One specialist, one allrounder on the bench and one future player.
I say given Ruans lack of form rather select Bash (ja I know he is kak but I am just making a point) or Bosman or JLP as your backup 10 wh can also play 12 and 13 from the bench.
Then select F Hourgaard as your backup 9 who can also play wing. Then you just need a backup 15 who can also play centre, someone like Rian Viljoen.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
My third 10 would be Francis. Something for the future.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Howzit ouens, long time no type!
Francois Steyn scored a stunning try for racing this weekend http://www.rugbydump.com showing some pretty rapid speed! We certainly will be needing him in midfield, with some great other options @ in players like Olivier, JdV as well.
With a solid midfield, Ruan still is a great backup for Morne Steyn @ 10, as long as the likes of Francois Steyn or other guys then do the kicking.
Thing is, with such a solid defender and play maker @ 12, and FdP @ 9, it takes much pressure off Ruan, and releases him to do what he is best at, like he showed in Twickenham @ 10 2 years ago.
He does need to settle @ 10 though @ the Sharks.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Reply to welshbok @ 1:45 pm:
Fkt Welshie – ek dog
jy het gedood!
Best headline today:
MATIES SEE OFF UCT
TO SECURE HOME SEMI
March 9th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
He does need to settle @ 10 though @ the Sharks.
======
He is adamant that he
wants to play 9.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Reply to newbokshields @ 1:13 pm:
The Lions are going to use him as a twelve I believe and Rouan Boshoff will be the Lions ten for the future.
Francis like Hennie Le Roux… a twelve that can play ten.
I think that Rouan and Francis will learn a LOT of old man Carlos in the next two seasons.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:58 pm:
Nooitie Oubaas!
Nog altyd maar in die omgewing, net bietjie under cover gewees!
March 9th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:59 pm: Dis hoekom Simonstown se beste wgekruip
March 9th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Andre Pretorius?
Gavin Hume?
March 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Reply to welshbok @ 1:45 pm:
4 out of those 10 tries by Japies…
March 9th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 2:12 pm:
Wegkruip se gat.
I think most Maties supporters’ bubble burst a bit last night where a given VC title is not so certain anymore.
The inability for Ikeys to kick to post by missing 7 or something, and 3 tries left out there through kak finishing saved the Maties.
The Ikeys backline ripped the Maties midfield a new type of asshole.
I would be surprised to find any windgat Maties supporters out there today, as they only won the match with the last move after yet another knock by Ikeys with the tryline meters away…
March 9th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Anyone else notice four of those tries are scored by Saffas
Marius Joubert
Frans Steyn
Rob Linde
Sam Gerber
Fokkit
Exactly how much talent have we lost here to the Frogs
Maybe Piet can tell us how old Andre Hough is doing?
March 9th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Reply to Morné @ 2:18 pm:
If you snooze, you lose.
If you can’t kick, you’re a prick.
As jy nok, is jy gefok.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Welshbok the problem is our midfield is in my opinion not solid. Francois can be my 12 I have no issue with that especially if he plays the way he does now (not jst bash it up like Jean and the old Francois)
I want a maestro at 12 who distributes well and still think we will use Frans at 15.
If I had to pick my WC team backline right now I will have Jean at 11 and Brian at 14, with Steyn and Fourie at centres. But I dont have a 15.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:21 pm:
For sure, making that many stupid mistakes one cannot wish to win a game.
But Maties looked anything like invincible last night.
This Cup is far from won and I think Maties now realise this.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Reply to Morné @ 2:18 pm: Score
23-17 Maties
Enjoy that with your lunch
Only stat that counts actually….
Moaning about knock ons at the line is a Lions speciality…. but nobody is saying because they handle the ball like grade ones in a netball tournament handle a hot coal that they are actually on the verge of becoming CC champs…. or S14 semi finalists…
In the words of… me
Jule het VERLOOR
March 9th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:21 pm:
Soos Deon sou skryf
Losers whine about what if and winners go home and f–k the prom queen
the cries of ecstacy were in Afrikaans last night….
March 9th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Ja I was ver cuffed with the speed of the ikyes backline, and by speed I mean speed through the hands.
If this team gets first win against Maties they will win the next9 games s well.
Too bad none of these players will play for WP as Rassie is sure to lure another average 30 year old in soon.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 2:25 pm:
Never denied we LOST.
We did, but with very little to do with what Maties dished up.
If you miss 70% of your kicks, give away intercept tries, botch 3 tries on the try-line through unforced errors then you do not deserve to win.
But this competition is far from over.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 2:27 pm:
Good luck vanaand, Dawie.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 2:25 pm:
But I could actually expect a UJ supporter to be windgat on behalf of Maties.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Oom Dawie is seker `n UJ supporter. Nice win, but I fear my shimlas boys will make the 4rth spot!
Im a wits boykie so pretty much programmed tohte he broederbond brothers from up the road. We just shagged their girls.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Reply to Morné @ 2:33 pm:
But this competition is far from over.
====
Ja, die Maties moet julle
nog in die final ook opfok.
Reply to newbokshields @ 2:30 pm:
Ja I was ver cuffed with the speed of the ikyes backline
========
Is The Legend still coaching them?
March 9th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Reply to newbokshields @ 2:36 pm:
Im a wits boykie
========
Don’t worry, guys with
bigger drawbacks made
it in life.
March 9th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Reply to newbokshields @ 2:36 pm:
Not everyone is perfect, we need the guys on the side of the road to clap too.
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:38 pm:
Haha, see you there…
March 9th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Ek is g’n niks UJ nie…
UJ is niks van my nie… niks niks nothing nada.
I went to RAU not UJ
UJ is something I do not recognize and I certainly do not support it… whether at rugby or anything else despite these stupid “alma mater” letters I keep getting from them… they’re not my varsity….
RAU no longer exists so I am remarkably free to support whomever I choose…. but unfortunately I cannot find anyone I like to support… aside from supporting the Afrikaans varsities….. Maties, Shimlas, Tuks and Pukke…
UJ, NMMU, TUT and Ikeys can screw themselves
March 9th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Shields all Wits students ever did was protest and trash their classes….
And rook and drink
It is no surprise that they only produce decent students OFF CAMPUS at the Business School
The rest of the faculties are screwed…
March 9th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 2:51 pm:
But they are your biggest source to Leeutjies rugby too!!!
March 9th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:05 pm: Do not fool yourself Morne, like I wrote in the article, the biggest winning margin between these two teams before tonight was 6 points since the tournament started. Yes UCT showed some good patches but that do not win games.
This is actually the first game the rooinekke played, and I will suggested it is because they played against Maties. Watch them flooking it again next week.
Maties vs Ikeys is like WP vs Noord Transvaal, does not matter how good or kak the two sides are they bring the best out off each other.
Maties also played in the game, Maties had 4 changes to score just in the first half which they messed up. They had 3 in the second which they normally scored from. They missed 2 kicks at goal and they went for the kick at touch, or tap four times in the game.
Like Dawie De Viliiers said at half time. They are not taking their changes and if they did they would have scored 4 tries already.
But I am happy with the win for that is they way these two teams played the past four years.
Go eat your shorts, and sorry you will loose in the Semi so even if I want to fu.k your rooinek team up again in the final it will not happen.
Maties
Ikeys 
March 9th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:05 pm:
Who Wits?
Never Morne
Not ever.
Maybe before 1972 when RAU opened…
But not since then.
The mines and the West Rand has always been the biggest source of players…
We’re becoming like the Cheetahs
All our decent players are coming from two schools
EG Jansen in Boksburg
Monument in Krugersdorp
RAU was always the biggest source of players but those days are over.
March 9th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Bunny
In the old days when I was at carsity maties no longer featured and keys was like a walkover 50 pointer for RAU so we never played them
Pukke was the warmup match and the main intervarsity match was RAU v TUks…
March 9th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Ya the old day it was Maties, RAU, Tukkies and Shimlas but then the provincial players played for these teams in the Varsity games
March 9th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 3:24 pm:
Not Wits, UJ.
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 3:23 pm:
Ikeys could not kick for shit, was under constant pressure in the scrum, could not buy a line-out, and could not round of at least 3 opportunities on the line.
Never was it said they deserved to win, but the fact that they came seconds to doing it says more about Maties than it does about Ikeys…
March 9th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:36 pm: Again look at history, IT IS ALWAYS A CLOSE GAME.This does not say Ikeys are good enough to win this.
———————————————————
Ikeys could not kick for shit, was under constant pressure in the scrum, could not buy a line-out, and could not round of at least 3 opportunities on the line.
———————————————————-
That is the basics of the game. If you can not do that how do you think they will handle pressure in a final. The reason Ikeys could not convert these opportunity’s into points was because of the pressure Maties put onto them in defence.
And ya it says allot about Maties that can handle big time pressure in big match situation.
This Maties side is something special.
March 9th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 3:45 pm:
Fok jy is dof vandag.
NOWHERE is it said IKEYS DESERVED THE WIN for the reasons mentioned.
But to make it absolutely clear:
IKEYS DID NOT DESERVE TO WIN.
Not when you fluff 7 kicks which has NOTHING to do with Maties pressure but simply because you cannot kick for shit.
Also not fluffing at least 2 tries through UNFORCED errors in knock-on’s which again has little to do with Maties pressure but simply means your basic skills are up to shit.
Over and above this, they were well in this game, which went to the last movement of the game.
All these things mentioned, Ikeys can fix, as its basics.
Maties however, are probably still looking for the white and blue striped figures which ripped their backline to shreds.
This Matie side was damn average last night. And we are getting to the business end of the competition – not the time to be losing form…
March 9th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:51 pm: So wat jy eintlik se is dat die Ikeys het verdien om te wen?
March 9th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Reply to manvanstaal @ 3:54 pm:
Nee, wat ek se is die Maties is nie so invincible soos wat hulle supporters reken nie. En die kompetisie is lank nog nie gewen nie…
March 9th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Ok I am off.
Cheers.
March 9th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Reply to Morné @ 4:02 pm: Ek trek sommer jou been.
Go Ikeys.
Go Maties.
Go Shimlas.
March 9th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:51 pm: No they are not, one of that derby games that went the same as any other game between these sides. Tigers just played out of their skins last night. Maties had a off night and that is a quality of a good side to still pull these games through.
Don’t come with this kak argument to the table that Maties was lucky. You make your own luck on the field.
The game off rugby is simple there is four lines, and you need to carry the ball over two of them to score a try or kick over the gaols. If you can not do that you can not win championships.
The souties scored only one bonus point in the competition. maties have scored 5. This tells you a hell of allot about the two teams. Maties did not play different teams they played the same teams than the souties.
March 9th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:51 pm:
You use a lot of words to
say what I said:
Boertjie says:
March 9th, 2010 at 2:21 pm edit
Reply to Morné @ 2:18 pm:
If you snooze, you lose.
If you can’t kick, you’re a prick.
As jy nok, is jy gefok.
But thanks for agreeing with me
all the same.