Some solace for the hard pressed ou Maaaaikie

Ex Sport 24

Paris - The South African rugby season has yet to commence, but Springbok flyhalf Morné Steyn's form for French Top 14 side Stade Français could be creating pre-season worries for coach Heyneke Meyer as he plots his 2014 campaign.

According to the Planet Rugby website, Stade Français manager Gonzalo Quesada recently admitted that Steyn was struggling to come to grips with the French league, saying that the player 'needed time to adapt', had 'timing problems' and 'did not play his best' and that he 'made mistakes' rarely seen by the flyhalf when he was playing in South Africa.

Although the manager remained optimistic that Steyn would improve given time within the Stade Français setup, it might be a cause of concern to some that South Africa's recent first-choice flyhalf is currently a second-stringer at his French club. (But let's be honest oaks the frogs themselves dont know which way they will next jump so no wonder Morne is having problems)

The 29-year old flyhalf has played only a handful of games for the Parisian club since leaving the Bulls in 2013, and he has only started three matches in the top 14 after missing matches late last year due to international commitments on the Springboks' end of year tour. (Please note windpomp)

Steyn has been upstaged at the French club by 22-year-old rookie flyhalf Jules Plisson, whose form has kept Steyn warming the bench and recently earned the Frenchman a call-up to the France team for the 2014 Six Nations competition.

Meyer will be hoping Steyn can recover his form, regain his place in the Stade Français starting line-up, and get some badly needed game-time under his belt.

An out-of-form Steyn could bode badly for the Springboks as it did when he suffered a dip in form in 2012 which culminated in him being booed by Springbok supporters in the team's 14-all draw against England at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Steyn started at flyhalf in all but one of the Springboks' Tests in 2013, the exception being the game Patrick Lambie started for the Springboks against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Meyer will be closely monitoring Lambie's form for the Sharks and Johan Goosen's return from injury for the Cheetahs during the upcoming Super Rugby competition should Steyn struggle to emerge from his current slump.

The Springboks' 2014 season kicks off with a two-Test match series against Wales in Durban (14 June) and Nelspruit (21 June), followed by a game against Scotland in Port Elizabeth (28 June)

The funny thing is that Morne could become a better flyhalf by playing in France. He will cer tainly learn a few things to add to his bow. At 29 he can still make it to the next WC

 Beeno

When Morne was playing in SA he played a very restrictive type of game - more known for kicking than as a pivot that could launch backline attacking moves.   In France they will expect from Morne to do things he has not don e playing for the Bulls and the Springboks like -

*   attacking the gain line himself;

*   being a pivot that could be involved in backline attacking moves; and

*   becoming a good strategic kicker.

The problem with the last element of play was his line kicks (especially stemming from penalties) became a lottery this year - he frequently fail to find touch with those.  His strategic kicks normally are too deep - making follow-up impossible. 

Morne's only real asset was his kicking at goal and that is a fact.

The question is - can he at 30 years of age adjust his playing methodology to meet club requirements and the answer is likely to be in the negative.   The main problem is that Morne is not a ball sense player who can instinctively determine what decisions would maximise team advantage - he is robotic.

French rugby sees Morne Steyn for what he really is...their judgement is spot on.

Only a fool or the ignorant would undermine or devalue French Style/Type rugby who with the NZ'ers play the most attractive style of rugby in the world...the only difference being is that NZ is more balanced and emotionally focused most of times than the French.

I'm sorry to say, but only being honest, we Saffers like the Poms play a boring game (this was not always so)...we are so fearful of losing that we clam up and play cautious and conservative rugby...so damn boring.

The NZ'ers are cavaliers in their approach but are at the same time well rehearsed, skilled, balanced and polished in their performances most , if not all times.

The French show this too but sadly this tends to be a flash in the pan...I have a feeling that France can easily win RWC 2015...long overdue...they have been in so many, quarter, semi and final finals.

Apart from being loyal to the Springboks...I am a great fan of the Les Bleus and this is not because I have French blood on grans side but simply because they play extremely entertaining rugby with attractive style but on the otherhand are the worse side for expectations...they can lose to Argentina, Tonga and Italy and then beat the AB's when nobody else has a hope in hell of doing so...where they come in the 6N will have no bearing on what they really have up their sleeve.

Ironically they should have had 2011 WC in the bag (sorry NZ I'm being honest) and as much as NZ deserved the status of WC Champions because of track record they certainly did not deserve that game. For some absolutely unexplainable mystery they came back after losing to a minnow Tonga side and being lucky against a determined Wales side.

I don't like Marc Lievremont as a personality and mentoring skills but one thing he understands is the game itself...the switch and interplay between his halves...Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili and Francois Trihn Duc...very smart and clever...sadly Trihn Duc missed a chance at posts that 9 out of 10 times he would have been successful but there is no room for harping or excuses in WC finals...the winner takes it all...the loser has to fall as the Abba song went.

In 1995...a lot of us who put honesty before national pride and patriotism believe France got that try at the water polo game in Durb's (the semi)...a horrible thing at the back of one's little voice.

 Sun Tzu

I do believe two things and that is that -

*   Morne Steyn is a serious handicap in backline play; and

*   the French has found that out too late.

Stade Francais I believe is second on the log for the French Top 14 competition - so they are one of the top teams in French rugby.   There is nothing wrong with the chemistry in the team - there is something seriously wrong in Morne Steyn and what he can produce.  If there was a team problem why is it not serious at all when Morne is not playing - why is it noticeable when Morne is around?

The second issue is that Seb is correct insofar as the style of rugby is concerned and so is hakwa,   You cannot play 15 man rugby with Morne as pivot.

You carry on about Morne in 2012 and 2013.   Morne was so bad that the crowd could not take him anymore the only thing that improved this year was his kicking at goal.   All other aspects of his game deteriorated.   His defence was worse, his line-kicking as well, he was as predictable as ever.

Saffex is right.  Morne is a plodder and slow as hell to boot.   He has zero ball sense and that is a fact.   If we ever want to have a convincing victorious team that can beat all opponents - he is the first person to go.  There is a few others - but Morne is the first one.   Bad news

Hmm....last time we played the French Morne beat them by himself 12 points to 10....in Paris. I don't think HM will be worrying too much about what the French think....with our current pack and power loosies, we dominated them.

As for Morne's form, he apparently is up against an aspirant French 10. The Frog will always be preferred. Jean and Victor also had supposed failures up north  and came back to do great test duty. It maak niks!  

As for Morne's form, he apparently is up against an aspirant French 10. The Frog will always be preferred. Jean and Victor also had supposed failures up north  and came back to do great test duty. It maak niks! 

I come back and what do I find - same old, same old...........

I agree, Morne is a boring player , a bad tackler, a bad attacker although he is a very nice person (and family on wife's side). But he can kick if nothing else........and that is what wins us games with our solid pack and defensively minded backline. Naas was much of the same, although a better tactical kicker. He wasn't known for tackles or line breaks or fancy Cooperisms..........just a solid kicker.

We don't play fancy flyhalves - we've never had anyone like Carter or Cooper. No flyhalf will be consistently picked if he does not kick 80% plus - and only Morne does this. Lambie misses in front of posts, Goosen is too fragile and although I think Pollard to be the future, if he does not put in the extra 4 hours kicking practice per day, he can return home now. When Morne went to the Bulls he played centre, and could not hit Beeno's fat arse with a gumboot. He taught himself to kick by practicing - and slotting them is 90% of why he will stay HM number one till WC time.

So dream on............or live with Morne for a while longer.

 The following is the top of small mindedness:-

"As for Morne's form, he apparently is up against an aspirant French 10. The Frog will always be preferred. Jean and Victor also had supposed failures up north  and came back to do great test duty. It maak niks!"

First of all the writer failed to check his facts - but in his case it is fairly normal.   De Villiers did not have s bad a season at Munster as it is made out to be.   He scored 8 tries for them in 2 3 Appearances.  The games I watched showed  top class performances contributing to other tries on numerous occasions.

Secondly De Viliers always was a class player - Morne Steyn never was so how cn such a crazy comparison be made.

Thirdly the French will not as professionals play a French player ahead of anyone else if it does not benefit the club.   The sponsors wants winners - not losers - and that is a fact of life.

Then the silliest statement made on this Board for a  long time - Meyer must despite his failure keep on selecting Morne Steyn - because failures in club rugby does not apparently count n the writer's book.   No wonder we keep on struggling in rugby with that kind of dolt attitude. 

Well what Groenbloed is sadly true and that sums up between the NZ and French rugby versus the Springbok and Pommy rugby...one is attractive and entertaining, the other is dour, conservative, cautious and downright boring....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Well what Groenbloed is sadly true and that sums up between the NZ and French rugby versus the Springbok and Pommy rugby...one is attractive and entertaining, the other is dour, conservative, cautious and downright boring....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Well what Groenbloed says is sadly true and that sums up between the NZ and French rugby versus the Springbok and Pommy rugby...one is attractive and entertaining, the other is dour, conservative, cautious and downright boring....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 Damn some peculiar interference here...wouldn't initially post then suddenly all 3 appear...the last one was corrected and edited...definitely some oddball interference floating around with irritating complexes.

I suspect newcomers...never happens with the run of the mill posters.

 This one is a joke. Morne would have made the crucial kick that Sexton missed.   Morne is a good goal kicker - but crucial kicks is 50-50.   In the Brumbies Super 15 semi-final Morne missed 50% of all his kicks at goal.   In the Ellis Park test it was 33,3% missed kicks.  

Decisive kicks are not Morne's forte - and that has been proven over and over again.  Reminds me of the old IF saying - "IF my auntie had balls - she would have been my uncle."