Frans Steyn – Love or hate him, you can never ignore him

To say that the sometimes controversial Frans Steyn has had a love-hate affair with the Springboks since making his international debut as a wide-eyed 19-year-old in 2006 is not far-fetched.

Tomorrow, almost 13 years to the day since turning out at wing against Ireland in Dublin, he is set to earn cap number 65 off the bench against Japan in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in Tokyo, in what may be one of his last Tests.

Not that the 32-year-old versatility back ever thought he would wear the Bok jersey again, let alone feature in another World Cup tournament – his third after missing out in 2015.

After making a name for himself in Jake White’s triumphant team in France in 2007, during which he became the youngest scorer in a World Cup final by slotting a long-range penalty against England in Paris, Steyn had a stormy relationship with the Bok coaches who followed.

At one stage some years ago, when the Boks were in Durban and Steyn had been recalled by Heyneke Meyer, he walked out of a training session because SA Rugby couldn’t reach an agreement with his French club over image rights.

In 2009, he controversially signed a two-year contract with French Top 14 club Racing Metro 92 for an estimated €750 000 (R12.3 million) a season.

Having been labelled as temperamental and difficult to manage, the Aliwal North-born Steyn earned his 50th cap in 2012, but could only add six to his tally over the next almost seven years.

That was until coach Rassie Erasmus arrived on the Springbok scene.

Erasmus didn’t coach Steyn in his junior days – they both have strong roots in the Free State, where Steyn matriculated at Grey College and Erasmus spent most of his playing career.

“He’s always been honest with me and I think that’s the big thing for a rugby player these days – you just want honesty,” Steyn said this week.

“I’ve known Rassie for a long time. During my first Currie Cup campaign for the Sharks in 2006, he was coaching the Cheetahs.

“I really like Rassie as he looks at rugby a different way and sees everything about it differently.”

Matters took a turn for the worst when Steyn’s brother, Wimpie, committed suicide on their family farm in Bethlehem in the Free State in 2015, which almost caused Steyn to quit the game permanently.

“There were things that happened there in my personal life with my family and at that stage of my life, I was actually more relieved to be at home with my parents,” he was quoted as saying.

He represented the Sharks 75 times in two stints, between 2007 and 2009 and again from 2012 to 2015, wore the blue-and-white striped jersey of Racing Metro 57 times between 2009 and 2012, played 21 matches for Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus from 2014 to 2016, and he is eight games away from a century of appearances since joining French club Montpellier in 2016.

A young Steyn with Jake
White just before the Boks won the World Cup in 2007. Picture: AFP

At 1.9m tall and 114kg, Steyn has recently been described as overweight and unfit but in the Boks’ last pool game, against Canada, at the World Cup he started as inside centre and showed he had still plenty to offer with his vast experience.

“Rugby is a funny sport and I can just be grateful that I get another opportunity,” Steyn said.

Born Francois Philippus Lodewyk, he had for years made a name for himself by being able to drop-kick massive goals from inside his own half.

He kicked two drop goals in the 2007 Tri-Nations opener against Australia at Newlands to win the game for the Boks.

The first was a 42m effort from a fielded clearance kick next to the sideline and another three minutes from time from about 30m out.

In the Boks’ final match of the 2009 Tri-Nations against New Zealand, his last match with the Boks before his departure for France, he converted three penalties from within his own half of the field. He was believed to be the first player to do so in a Test match.

He has scored 141 points in total for the Boks, which includes 11 tries, and has either started or came on during a Test in every position in the backline, apart from scrumhalf.

In what is set to be his last World Cup tournament, Steyn is just living for the moment, even though some team members jokingly referred to him as “Toppie’’.

“I’m just going to have fun and try and do the best that I can,” he said.

“I get a little bit more serious before a Test match, but I’m also just enjoying it.

“I haven’t been here [with the Springboks and the World Cup] for a while, so I know what it feels like not to make this team and I won’t take anything for granted. I’m just here to give it my all and enjoy it.”

– news@citizen.co.za

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