While his comeback game last week may not have yielded the result any of us were looking for, newly-returned Sharks center Frans Steyn seems to be relishing the challenge of being part of the Sharks’ “attacking revival” this season.
Addressing a media gathering in Durban yesterday, Steyn spoke of the mindset shift required of all the Sharks players this season and how it’s affecting him in particular. “For me personally, I was so used to being in a kicking-oriented game plan for the last seven or eight years of my life,” he said (according to Rugby365).
“I struggled when I got to Japan, and I think I am still not 100 percent in the attacking mindset that they want me to be in, but I am getting there. I realise it is going to take more than one week to get out of the mentality that I had from the coaching I received over the last seven or so years.
“I enjoyed the attacking brand of rugby, it was good for me, I enjoyed playing with the ball and hopefully I can do that here, if I get the opportunity.”
Steyn, who was pressed into an emergency flyhalf role by Jake White last season after Pat Lambie picked up a serious injury early on, emerged as one of the key architects of the safety-first kicking game that led to a maiden South African conference win for the side. He’ll probably be one of the first to admit that the style of play emphasised the boot far more than it did attacking the line with ball in hand; not that White’s approach was necessarily too far removed from the way Steyn had been asked to play by former coaches at the Sharks, Boks and at Racing Metro.
Blessed with a booming boot and the physical attributes to succeed in “conservative rugby”, few will forget the Steyn that first burst onto the scene as a raw 18 year old in the 2006 season, a superbly-balanced running flyhalf with an eye for the gap and x-factor in abundance. While we’ve not seen much of that player in recent times, Sharks fans will hope that he quickly rediscovers that aspect of his game – one that it seems he’s already started working on while in Japan.
Being in Japan has also had a positive effect on Steyn physically; Sharks fans around the globe would wince in sympathy after every goal kick last year, with the player visibly in pain when putting all his weight on his left knee. “My knees are feeling good,” he says now, “I have had no swelling on my knee for five months now.
“That was one of the main reasons why I went to Japan, to try and get my body into a good state again.”
Welcome back, Frans. Welcome home. Let’s shake off the shackles and see some of that youthful exuberance again – who knows where that could lead?
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Great to see Frans back and in good shape, here’s to see him mesmerise us with his skills!
I’m feeling a little maudlin about the weekend games; what’s the worst that could happen? Sharks lose and stormers win. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate John Smit’s tweet about turning it around for the fans or your having a chat with Gary and getting his reassurances. It just feels like there is a script somewhere and the Sharks are supposed to lose again and the Cape weenies win again, like a conspiracy theory or something. I so hope I’m wrong though, I’ve seen what the Sharks can do. There are so many haters online waiting for my team to trip up and lay into them like the undead. Perhaps all will be well after this weekend. ..I hope so
At least everyone (players, coaches) is starting to sing from the same hymn sheet – officially at least.
Good luck big boy!
Good luck Frans and the team!!!
Best Rugby player in the world.
Looking for that return to X-factor form that we all know he’s got.
For me, him and Lambie are cut from the same cloth.
Confusing. Do they play a kicking based game in Japan or not. I thought not but am not so sure after reading this.
Must admit i am enjoying watching the guys give it a go and try new things not so much the losing but that will fix itself in time.
GO SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!! 😎
@The hound (Comment 6) :
@Another Nick (Comment 8) :
Fully agree!!
All this new attacking intent means very little if the backs touch the ball on attack twice mayb 3 times a half if that and forwards keep the rest.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 9) :
Seriously? Did you read the whole thing, or just skim it?
Nothing is unclear to me.
@Poisy (Comment 10) :
If I’m completely honest with myself, though the losses hurt, I would prefer losing to going back to kicking only. That way of playing is a path to nowhere good. At least by trying to play this style of rugby I know if we persist, we should continue on an upward curve, maybe only after a bit of a downward spiral, but still, I’m willing to take it if it means we start to play attractive winning rugby again.
@Letgo (Comment 13) : I read it a few times – enlighten me please.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 15) : “I struggled when I got to Japan, and I think I am still not 100 percent in the attacking mindset that they want me to be in“
and
“I enjoyed the attacking brand of rugby”
Would suggest to me that they play attacking rugby, and not kicking.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 15) : It says he had to get used to the running game in Japan after his kicking based 6-7 years before that and now he’s happy about the Sharks’ ball in hand approach, because that’s how they play in Japan.
@Letgo (Comment 14) : To me it is even simpler – statistically you don’t win Super trophies unless you can score tries. I don’t care how we score them, but we need to start scoring more of them.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 16) : Agreed but then what does this mean
“For me personally, I was so used to being in a kicking-oriented game plan for the last seven or eight years of my life,” and
” I realise it is going to take more than one week to get out of the mentality that I had from the coaching I received over the last seven or so years.”
Would suggest to me that he has only been playing running rugby for 1 week – the week that he has been back at the Sharks.
So what type of rugby has he been playing in Japan for the last 2 years.
@Bokhoring (Comment 18) : True. The teams which have nailed us in finals, all scored a lot of tries during the competition as well.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 17) : So again, what does this mean ” I realise it is going to take more than one week to get out of the mentality that I had from the coaching I received over the last seven or so years.”
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 21) : He hasn’t been in Japan solidly for two years, though. I think he just generalised a bit when referring to his SA rugby experience so added the games he played in SA while also contracted in Japan to his “6-7 years”.
Like I said confusing. One would think after a full season of “running rugby” the players would have mastered it, so confusing and worrying.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 23) : 😆
great to hear!!!!!!!!!! Let’s see how it goes!!!!!! Go Sharks!!!!!!!!!
Very tempted to say he should play FH and not Center move Lambie to 15. If neccessary he can kick them into submission or make the call to play the ball wide, while Lambie on 15 will be safe as houses. But then we would be going back on the playing the ball wide principle. Take the points or stick to principles?
There’s no doubt that Frans is a talented ball player, for me though the biggest growth needs to come in terms of his temperament and decision making, which I imagine can only come from experience. Looking forward to seeing if he has grown in these areas. Unfortunately the yellow card from last week is not a good sign.