Steyn is off to France

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Bloemfontein â€" Young Springbok star Frans Steyn has decided to join French club Racing Metro next season in the hope that he will get away from the limelight on and off the field.

The 22-year-old wants to be given a chance to become more conscious of himself as a person and player. According to his agent Gerrie Swart, this was one of the reasons why Steyn decided on a move to Europe.

The versatile player also wants an opportunity to play in a foreign country. Steyn said that he was taken in by France during the 2007 World Cup.

"I always told myself that I'd come to play in France," he told L'Equipe newspaper.

The fact that the he will be under the supervision of the former All Black flyhalf, Andrew Mehrtens, has helped Steyn make his decision.

"He is certainly not turning his back on SA rugby. Another reason is that he is very young and has a long career ahead of him. Mehrtens will also be there and he is a good teacher for any guy who wants to play for a long time," said Swart.

But Steyn, who has become one of the most popular players in South Africa since his appearance at Test level in 2006, will also be relieved of the pressure that comes with high expectations and status in South Africa.

"You don't realise what kind of pressure there is on a guy who was 19 and won his first World Cup with South Africa â€" on the field and especially off of the field. In France he will have an opportunity to be just another player," Swart said.

Despite a report in L’Equipe, which stated on Wednesday that Steyn would join Racing Metro after the British and Irish Lions Test series, Swart said the move wouldn't happen before November.

"We don't yet know when the start of his contract is (with Racing Metro). It has to be cleared with the Sharks and SA Rugby. But he is contracted to the Sharks until after the Currie Cup series and the date (of his move) can’t therefore be earlier than November 1."[/b]

Source

Good for him, bad for the Sharks. 3 Years is a long time and he might of just messed up his chances of playing in the next WC by adding that 1 extra year. Time will tell.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Ach, hopefully rugby will get with the times a bit more and let players who don't play in the country play for their country by then...wishful thinking.

*leaves horse to die*

Good for him though, it can only benefit him as a player and hopefully it doesn't mess up his international chances.

 

[Thingimubob]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dundeesmiffy @ Jun 11 2009, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Ach, hopefully rugby will get with the times a bit more and let players who don't play in the country play for their country by then...wishful thinking.

*leaves horse to die*

Good for him though, it can only benefit him as a player and hopefully it doesn't mess up his international chances.[/b]

Ah it is understandable why the rule is there, we don;t want a Football type situation ruining the International Stage.
Please, let's not get into another one of the 'NH stealing SH players!!!' arguement now though
They're getting a bit old...
Don't quite understand this move, he's 22 and already wants to 'experience a new country', I mean it's the equivalent of Halfpenny moving to Japan to play his rugby (kind of anyway)

 

[Steve-o]

Nuff said

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Tbh, the only reason football is such a riot is because it's not regulated. I think it's another example of stoicism holding rugby back.
I also do not doubt for a second the money was a part of it but I wouldn't be so cynical as to say it was his only motivation.

 

[feicarsinn]

Well you do think hes a 22 year old kid who wants to get out and see the world, it's not that unusual. Maybe it's like a long J1 to him or something

 

[Thingimubob]

yeah, like a gap year from Uni I guess, or if you're studyng languages, a year in a foreign country, three in Steyns case .
Sorry, I have Uni's on the brain...school is going nuts about applications atm...

 

[Cymro]

Good move for him, he'll come back a better player

 

[monkeypigeon]

Racing Metro? French Legaues.... He'll come back rick and obsessed with starting fights...and since he's both South African and plainying in France he won't be able to touch the bakk without going for a dropgoal.

 

[Jer1cho]

He isn't leaving because of the money. He is leaving because he can't take the media, or the fans here. All anyone can ever do is criticize him, swear at him, and hate him when he screws up. Nobody stood by this guy when hew was playing. We chased him away. Then everyone still says he went for the money. Bullshit. He wants to play rugby. Good on him, and hopefully he gets the respect he deserves there.

 

[Woldog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

he won't be able to touch the bakk without going for a dropgoal.[/b]

He does that already...

 

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ Jun 12 2009, 07:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

He isn't leaving because of the money. He is leaving because he can't take the media, or the fans here. All anyone can ever do is criticize him, swear at him, and hate him when he screws up. Nobody stood by this guy when hew was playing. We chased him away. Then everyone still says he went for the money. Bullshit. He wants to play rugby. Good on him, and hopefully he gets the respect he deserves there.[/b]

Sure it must one of the factors but surely not be the major factor. Steyn is part of the new ultra professional generation of rugby players and is looking at his career longevity and salary more than loyalty and expectations imo.

I'm sure while Racing Metro's coach was sympathizing with Steyn with all the stress he has, he slipped him a contract worth 4 times his current one just because he's such a nice guy. Yeah right. Steyn is looking after his own interests and rightly so.

Yes pro rugby players are under pressure. Schalk Burger won the IRB world player of the year when he was 21, he has been under pressure ever since to perform. Steyn brought a lot of the pressure on himself by being demanding and individualist.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Think the move will benefit him long term, but missing the World Cup could be a huge mistake. Then again, he's already won it once. Why should he care?

He'll come back richer and wiser and more importantly, richer. Good for him. No Heineken Cup rugby for him though, unless Racing go one further than Toulon did with their big spending by actually making it in two years.

 

[Prestwick]

He's going to miss the World Cup? He will have missed the boat somewhat then. I agree with Sir Speedy that that may have been a bit of a mistake.

Its only a year or so away, why not just wait until it was over before moving to France? Seems like he can't wait to get away which is a huge shame

 

[Sir Speedy]

Jericho said he's signed a three year contract, though there's no mention of that in the article. If that's true then I believe he's going to miss the WC.

 

[candybum]

Why will he miss the WC? (assuming he's playing well enough) i thought SA can select players who play their trade outside SA? not like NZ or Aus

 

[QLD]

Are overseas based players still eligible for the South African team?

 

[candybum]

Thought so, didn't they pick Matfield and Percy when they weren't playing in SA?

 

[Steve-o]

Not exactly. When Smit & Matfield got selected for the Boks they both just finished their stay in France and had taken up contracts with the Sharks & Bulls respectively. I think their intent to back to SA helped their cause.
Although now that I think back was James selected a number of times last year even though he has stated he'll see out his career there.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that Percy also signed a contract with WP on his return so he was one of the players who wanted to come back.

 

[candybum]

So they don't need to play provincially before join the national team ala the AB's.