Ex Sport 24
Cape Town - Flyhalf Morne Steyn will not tour with the Springboks on their upcoming trip to Europe, a report in Sunday's Rapport indicates.
According to the newspaper, only two flyhalves - Handre Pollard and Pat Lambie - will be picked for the tour which includes Tests against Ireland (Dublin, November 8), England (London, November 15), Italy (Padova, November 22) and Wales (Cardiff, November 29).
Steyn was part of the Springbok squad for the recent Rugby Championship but fell behind in the pecking order after failing to find touch late in the game against Australia in Perth. It enabled the Wallabies to counter and score a winning try.
Since then, Pollard and Lambie have stepped up as the Springbok incumbents in the flyhalf position.
All is however not lost for Steyn as the Springboks will still take three flyhalves to next year's Rugby World Cup in England, and he would be next in line should either Pollard or Lambie get injured. (Goosen mey be the third flyhalf?)
But it's nevertheless been an uncomfortable time of late for the 30-year-old Steyn. Recent reports from France indicated that his club, Stade Francais, were willing to release him from his contract.
Steyn howeverrefuted the claims and insisted he will see out his three-year contract with the French giants.
Steyn has represented the Boks in 59 Tests, scoring 688 points.
Often villified by ou maaaikie and snapster with their ver unbalancerd view on him, Morne has done a decent job on the whole for the Boks. Not a great flyhalf but reasonably competent. Good luck Morne.
