Springbok Steyn focused and ready to terrorise Euro giants

AFTER terrorising the British & Irish Lions, as well as the southern hemisphere teams with his right boot, Springbok fly-half Morné Steyn hopes he can cause equal damage on a Europe tour that begins against France in Toulouse tomorrow night.

As the Lions, Australia, New Zealand, a host of Super 14 teams and some in the Currie Cup will testify, any infringement within 55 metres of goal can have deadly consequences.

An international unknown at the beginning of this year, the 25-year-old Cape Town-born and Bloemfontein-schooled player with looks that would not be out of place on a movie set has taken rugby by storm.

First it was the Super 14 – with Steyn scoring 191 points to finish as the leading points-scorer as his Bulls routed New Zealand visitors Chiefs to win the trophy a second time.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers publicly preferred Ruan Pienaar as his first-choice fly-half, believing the Sharks No. 10 was more inventive than Steyn and an acceptable place-kicker.

Pienaar got the nod for the first Test against the Lions in his Durban lair and did little wrong, while replacement Steyn proved he is no one-trick pony with a try-saving tackle on giant wing Ugo Monye.

After Pienaar missed three shots at goal the following weekend, Steyn came on and won the hearts of his nation by landing a 53-metre penalty with the last kick of the game to win the second Test and the series.

Bok skipper and prop John Smit recalls the moment when 12 years of torment were erased after the Lions had snatched a 2-1 series triumph in 1997 against the then world champions.

“Morné did not actually ask to take that final kick, he just walked toward me with his eyes transfixed on the ball. Although I had the option of Frans Steyn, when I saw Morné focused on the ball I immediately tossed it to him.

“‘Welcome to Test rugby,’ I said. He was seemingly so casual and calm, it was scary. I was nervous despite playing dozens of times for my country yet this new kid on the block did not flinch.”

With the Lions caged, Steyn turned to perennial rivals the Wallabies and the All Blacks and his lethal goal-kicking was instrumental in five Bok wins from six starts which brought the title to South Africa for only the third time.

In Durban he scored all 31 points against New Zealand to create a Tri-Nations record and his tally included a try at a crucial stage.

When South Africa gathered last week to honour its heroes, Steyn was the most frequent visitor to the stage after being voted Players’ Player of the Year, Super 14 Player of the Year and Best Test Player in the Lions series.

Not bad for a man who understudied fly-half Derick Hougaard for several seasons at the Bulls and almost drove kicking coach Vlok Cilliers crazy as he struggled to master the kicking art. “When Morné arrived at the Bulls he could not kick at all. He could not kick at the posts and he could not kick out of hand,” his mentor recalled. “Morné developed into a 70% kicker and decided he wanted to be the best. Practice makes perfect so he put in the hours and now deserves all the accolades that come his way.”