The following article is from rugby365:-
"Frans Steyn's stint in Japan has led him to abandon the kicking mentality that has been forced on him in South Africa as he looks to become a more potent attacking threat.
The youngest World Cup winner burst onto the scene as a mercurial wing or fullback with a booming boot who could slot both drop goals and shots off the tee from 60 plus metres away. However, as his career has progressed Steyn shifted both his position, towards flyhalf and centre, and his playing style with South African coaching being geared around the tactical kick. Steyn, who has played his rugby between South Africa and France, had his first season in Japan in 2014 and has said that the style in the far-east is much more ball in hand and attack orientated. This has been an eye opener for the Sharks centre who has said he is still in the process of adapting his game away from a kicking mentality to a ball in hand, attacking one."For me personally, I was so used to being in a kicking-orientated game plan for the last seven or eight years of my life," Steyn told the Media in Durban. "I struggled when I got to Japan, and I think I am still not 100 percent in the attacking mindset that they want me to be in.
But I am getting there. "I realise it is going to take more than one week to get out of the mentality that I had from the coaching I received over the last seven or so years. "I enjoyed the attacking brand of rugby, it was good for me, I enjoyed playing with the ball and hopefully I can do that here [at the Sharks], if I get the opportunity." Another noticeable positive for Steyn coming back from Japan is what it has done for his body. Often criticised for gaining too much weight over the years, he has come back looking trim and lean, but it has also helped his knees which were an issue for the playmaker last year. "My knees are feeling good," Steyn added. "I have had no swelling on my knee for five months now. "That was one of the main reasons why I went to Japan, to try and get my body into a good state again. "This competition is not a joke, this is serious stuff." Steyn was thrust straight back into the Sharks setup last weekend at inside centre against the Stormers with many feeling that is his most settled position. However, the Sharks man admits that he is not 100 percent sure where his best position is. I don't know if inside centre is my most settled position, with all the pain and aches I think i should move to fullback one of these days!" he quipped. "The last couple of years I have been playing where I am needed, I learnt the lesson that if you are forced to play a position you will always come off second best.
"I just keep my mouth shut and try and play good, competitive rugby in any position."
COMMENTS
The kicking Game
His comments in this regard is true - a sad reflection on his career in SA. However, there is a problem too. The issue here is that he mostly played at center and the question is how come the kicking game ever became the alpha and omega for a center. There is really very little scope for a kicking game at center.
He did play at flyhalf in 2014 when Lambie was injured - so one assume the kicking issue relates to that issue. In essence there is room for a strategic kicking game in rugby - but then the kicks must be objective-orientated and accurate. Steyn's kicks mainly was long - but very inaccurate - and rarely aimed at creating attacking opportunities for his side.
In essence the issue is simple - if he plays at flyhalf there are need for drastic improvement in his decision-making coupled to an urgent improvement in accuracy and objective-orientated kicking. If he plays at full back - the same requirement is necessary. If he is to play at center an occasional grubber kick or kick over the heads of defenders - a rare strategy - could be used, but he is right about one thing - a more ball-in-hand and better passing game is what is required.
The Knee Problem
Steyn came back from Europe grossly over-weight and in poor physical shape - that could account top a large extend to the two serious injuries he suffered since his return. Plumtree in 2013 insisted that he should get his weight under control and get match-fit, but he never attained that objective.
Although some members of this site refused to recognize it - he was seriously over-weight in 2014 as well. His performances last year was as bad as it was in 2013 - with the exception that he was a Jake White protegee and the latter took no action to remedy the situation. However, what is important is that he now admits that his over-weight had a serious and detrimental impact on his knee - an impact that could not be treated physically - but could be treated by losing the excess weight he was carrying.
He lost about 12 kilos in weight during his stint in Japan and his weight now is in the range where it should have been all the time. That would allow for improved match-fitness, being physically in better shape, regaining some of his lost pace and even more importantly being less injury-prone.
Position suited to him
Plumtree in 2013 said Francois Steyn is no center - he should play at full-back. There were always serious criticism about him playing at flyhalf as well. Those normally deal with serious decision-making mistakes and inaccuracy of his kicking.
What is really interesting is the following comments he made himself:-
"I don't know if inside centre is my most settled position, with all the pain and aches I think i should move to fullback one of these days!"
Full-back is where he started his senior career and to my mind he is a full-back - not a center or flyhalf - where he mostly is a square peg in a round whole. So maybe it would be better for him to move to full-back where he has more time to make decisions and from where he could be more dangerous when joining the backline.
