Frans Steyn will be returning to South Africa at the end of the current French rugby season.
Steyn who were considering offers from Metro and the Sharks decided to return to South Africa following 3 –years at the French club. In a statement on the club’s website, club president Jacky Lorenzetti wished Frans well and thanked him for his contribution over the last 3 years.
It is unclear whether Steyn will indeed return to the Sharks, the only union that publicly admitted being in talks with his agent.
It is understood that Metro made him a very attractive offer but Frans’ ambitions to win major trophies with the Springboks under new coach, Heyneke Meyer, was ultimately the deciding factor.
It is no secret Meyer wanted Frans back in South Africa as he sees him as a vital player for the Springboks presumably at inside center.
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April 2nd, 2012 at 10:59 am
Is he going to be the SBW of SA rugby?
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Reply to Loosehead @ 10:59 am:
Hopefully without all the hideous
tyre marks all over his arms.
When does the Frog season end?
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:45 pm
It is no secret Meyer wanted Frans back in South Africa as he sees him as a vital player for the Springboks presumably at inside center.
Seriously?
I’ve never seen Heyneke say a word about who’d be in his team… he’s even played his skipper’s choice close to his chest…
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Please God don’t go to the Sharks Francois…
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:45 pm:
on the captain issue… please don’t make it Pierre Pussy Spies!!
I would rather have Chilli instead of Spies!
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:45 pm:
Rapport, by Meyer’s good buddy JJ Harmse. Not directly quoted it must be said but then he never will say that publicly.
And yes, it is more than likely the Sharks – WP apparently would love to, but can’t afford him.
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 12:54 pm:
I think you should make peace with the fact now that Pierre will be Bok captain.
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Reply to Morné @ 1:08 pm:
NOOOOOOOOOO!
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 1:22 pm:
bring back helium snor pdv
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Reply to Morné @ 1:08 pm:
Well at least he is in the form of his life at the moment…
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 1:32 pm:
He is playing good rugby.
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:44 pm
You think Morne?
I really doubt Heyneke will choose someone who is not first choice…
BUT
The one thing one can say for Heyneke is that he very much prescribes to the many leaders concept and does not really attach all that much value to the team captaincy…
So even if it is Spies do not expect Heyneke to give him so much say or leadership as what Jake and Piet imposed on John Smit.
More likely there will be a leadership group appointed to be onfield leaders…
Watch the way he casually switched between Gary Smit, Anton Leonard, Joost Van Der Westhuizen and Vic Matfield when he was in charge at the Bulls…
I suspect that Heyneke does not attach all that much value to the captain… seeing him more as sort of a team spokesman than actual sole onfield leader.
More likely if Spies gets the official nod expect seniors like Jean De Villiers and Andries Bekker and Bismarck Du Plessis and even Francois Hougaard to have as much onfield say as Pierre and in some respects even outrank him for particular plays. Expect the scrumhalf to again be the key attacking leader though…
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Reply to Morné @ 1:38 pm:
Ok, we all know he can run with a ball but he still can’t dominate in tackles. He avoids contact (in defense) and when he has to tackle he slips off a lot of them – this from memory but I am not sure what the stats show these days. I also can’t remember him making a BIG dominant tackle either! Not good enough for a back rower!
My biggest beef with him is his management skills, at the Bulls they all seem to be god fearing family but when a national team gets together you may have guys who are different and how will he handle that? BTW how will Meyer handle that?
For me it is going to be tough supporting a bok side with spies as captain!
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 1:44 pm:
I will put money on it.
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 1:48 pm:
Ashley Johnson is even a better choice at 8 – at least he does not die with the ball he will always try and off-load or pop the ball to a support runner.
Defnsively they are on par!
April 2nd, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Frans will go where he can be close to his farm. I’m sure a wine farm is highest on his wishlist but the Sharks and FS will offer him better guarantees of game time. Cannot see the Bulls or Lions getting him unless a Bushveld farm is okay for him. I think his first choice would be WP if they can guarantee him a spot.
April 2nd, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 1:51 pm:
AJ has fokal idea on how to protect his own ball… half the reason he no longer starts no doubt after some shockers…
Reply to Kat @ 2:15 pm:
WTF does he know about wine farming?
April 2nd, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:53 pm:
as much as you do on betting on sports
April 2nd, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 2:57 pm:
It should read “you & I”
April 2nd, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 2:57 pm:
Hehe… I’m still 3 from 5 in ‘actual’ money tips…didn’t have time to find any decent odds (and lose any) last round
April 2nd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 3:01 pm:
5 weeks ago I started off with 20 Euro, dropped to below 10 and then cashed in to 60 odd Euro… Current balance 21 Euro
April 2nd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 3:06 pm:
Damn you Cheetahs! Damn YOU!!
April 2nd, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:53 pm: Does he have to know anything? Nope. That’s why guys/girls with degrees in wine production get appointed. Ask Ernie Els.
April 2nd, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Reply to Kat @ 3:49 pm:
Ummm… Ernie Els had nurtured a passion for fine wine over almost a decade before he decided to further it and it’s taken more than a decade for them to even come close to turning a profit… this by a man with a net wealth of well over $75 million!
And Louis Strydom is not simply a ‘guy/girl with a degree in viticulture’…
So I’ll repeat it… WTF does Frans Steyn know about wine farming?
April 2nd, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 3:06 pm:
Hehe… yeah I’ll be having a look-see for some worthy punts (read decent odds) this week…
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:04 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:53 pm:
Got to agree from the bit I saw
of the Cheetahs.
Five carries, not one going anywhere.
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Reply to Morné @ 1:49 pm:
Ja I’m not so sure.
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 5:04 pm:
He definitely has his part to play in the side… he may have lost far too much possession in the opening rounds… but his pop-pass off the ground in the tackle won them the game against the Rebels…
Great impact player off the bench for when the game is more open… but NOT test rugby…
April 3rd, 2012 at 11:54 am
HM said that it will be more difficult for a Bulls player to make the boks side than other I suppose the same will go for captain. How is Jaun doing…or don’t be suprise if Schalla makes it.
Suprise maybe Baardbek Josh
he is in anycase the best current captain of any team this year and last year
April 3rd, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 11:54 am:
Adriaan Strauss?
Oh, but then we have another
Smit/Bismarck scenario with
Ralepelle.
Will he please the mieniesta of sports
and appoint Ralepelle?
Will Juan Smith ever play again?
April 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 11:54 am:
Hey dude Baardbek Josh is one of yours…
Must say even on form Josh could make the Boks as a 7 or 8
As a Neanderthal he may make the side as an AA player…
Suspect all black wings though… Maybe even Zane at 15…
Not sure about the rest…
But geez, the problem is that the last three years has seen many great white players emerge in positions that were traditionally reserved for the non white ones…
Michael Killian
Gerhard VD Heever
Messerchmidt
All are making claims to wing positions.
April 3rd, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 5:00 pm: I Like baardbek allround hard-ass hard working player giving everything like Vos, andre venter and old Ruben
April 3rd, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 6:29 pm:
Corne Krige style?
April 3rd, 2012 at 11:46 pm
@ davids
Do you think the lions are going to loose any players soon to other provinces and how does things look or is there a light at the end of this tunnel for us?????
April 4th, 2012 at 6:52 am
Reply to DavidS @ 9:36 pm: Yip and I like that type of player but that’s just me