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Frans Steyn unlikely to be slotting 60m penalties on Saturday: ‘My knees get sore now’
The seasoned Bok utility back will get another crack at Test rugby on Saturday when South Africa face Australia in Adelaide.
Bok utility back Frans Steyn will play of the bench against the Wallabies. Picture: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
If Frans Steyn slots a 60 metre penalty kick against the Wallabies in Adelaide on Saturday it won’t be because he’s been knocking them over in training this week.
And, the same goes for any drop-goal he might slot.
In fact, anything Steyn does on the field these days probably has more to do with talent, skill, experience and instinct rather than training drills and hours practising.
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“I’m older now and don’t do much training anymore when it comes to kicking … my knees get sore now,” said Steyn, 35, from Adelaide on Wednesday. He will fill a spot on the Springboks bench for the Rugby Championship match against Australia on Saturday (kick-off 7.30am SA time).
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It will be his first action for the Boks this year, and in months in fact, following his picking up an injury while playing for the Cheetahs earlier this year.
“Even in my younger days I never practised the kicking a whole lot.
“And, when I was younger I played mainly wing and fullback and had the opportunity to have a go sometimes with a (long-range) drop, but now that I’m in the centres there’s not many chances for that. I’m now closer to the breakdowns and tackles … so we’ll have to wait and see.”
He added he wasn’t too worried about the fact he hasn’t played much recently. “I don’t know when I last played. It was the same last year, and then I got a chance against New Zealand.
“I’ve always been a player that doesn’t look too deeply into this sort of stuff (like playing time or experience helping him). I just want to perform when I get on the field, that’s all that matters and hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to do that on Saturday.”
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Asked why he thought the Boks have always struggled in Australia, where they last won in 2013 and have recorded just five wins since 1992, as opposed to playing in New Zealand, Steyn said: “Even from my Super (Rugby) days, we struggled here more than in New Zealand.
“I don’t know why that is, it’s just the case … it happens so seldom that we win here, but we now have a chance to do something special.”
