Rugby

Morne Steyn to take last kick for Bulls before hanging up boots

Bulls legend Morne Steyn is set to play his final game on Saturday when his team take on the Cheetahs in a Currie Cup clash at Loftus Versfeld.

The 38-year-old is due to hang up his boots after the game, with his contract with the Pretoria franchise coming to an end at the end of this month.

Steyn announced earlier this year he would call it quits at the end of the current season.

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With the Bulls in a real fight to make the Currie Cup playoffs, Steyn may not have another chance to bid farewell after this Saturday’s final round-robin Currie Cup match.

The Bulls are currently in fourth place on the Currie Cup log, with 36 points. A win against the Cheetahs will guarantee Jake White’s team a semi-final spot, but a defeat could see Griquas (fifth) and Western Province (sixth) move ahead of the Bulls on the log, and effectively knock White’s team out of the competition.

Griquas are at home to the Pumas, while Western Province welcome the Sharks to Cape Town.

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Currie Cup playoffs

So, if the Bulls were to lose this weekend, there would not be another oppportunity for Steyn and his fans to say goodbye.

However, if the Bulls win and advance to the playoffs and anything were to happen to Johan Goosen or Chris Smith, the two prefered No 10s, Steyn could still be asked to play again before the end of the month.

Steyn, who kicked the series-winning penalties in both the 2009 and 2021 Springbok series wins against the British and Irish Lions, after coming off the bench, retired from international rugby after the Lions series two years ago. He played 68 Tests for the Boks.

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‘Good time to finish’

Steyn played for the Bulls for 14 years and was involved in many famous victories. At the time of his international retirement two years ago he said: “It was a good time for me to finish it off. In 2009 I started with the British and Irish Lions series, and I finished off with them (in 2021). It was just a nice circle to finish things off.”

Steyn has been enjoying a benefit year with the Bulls.

But, will the veteran wear the Bulls No 10 jersey this weekend, or play from off the bench?

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By Jacques van der Westhuyzen