Morné has a place in SA Hall of Fame

If it’s true that “you never know what you’ve got till it’s gone”, we wonder if that applies to Springbok flyhalf Morné Steyn, who has just announced his retirement.

Could this mild-mannered guy be the most under-appreciated three-quarter in the history of the local game?

If so, it shows that sports fans – and some analysts – are easily seduced by the flashy and ignore or denigrate the solid and reliable. Steyn was anything but flashy in the Bok number 10 jersey… but he was a legend nevertheless, as his statistics prove.

Along with the Bulls, Steyn won almost every major honour – including multiple Super Rugby titles, the Rugby Championship and two British & Irish Lions series, with the World Cup being the one missing title from his collection.

He scored 742 Test points – second only to Percy Montgomery (893) on South Africa’s all-time points list.

He had big match temperament… the lack of which has cost South African sport dearly on occasion in th international arena.

Who can forget his touchline penalty to clinch the British & Irish Lions series in 2009 – one of the most memorable in South African rugby. And then he did it again this year.

His place in our Hall of Fame is assured.