Bulls and Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn has agreed to leave the Pretoria Super Rugby franchise and join Stade Francais.
rugbyweek
Steyn has been linked to a number of European rugby clubs but reports on the internet state that he has signed a three year contract with the Top 14 Rugby club.
Steyn struggled with his form in 2012 and was replaced by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer by Sharks pivot Pat Lambie and Cheetahs number 10 Johan Goosen.
Stormers fly half Elton Jantjies was also favoured ahead of Steyn.
Ironically Steyn appears to have turned a corner in 2013 while Goosen and Jantjies have struggled to find form.
Steyn is understood to have signed a three year contract with Stade Francais and he will leave the Bulls after the 2013 Currie Cup season.
The Blue Bulls company which runs and owns the Bulls Super Rugby franchise is expected to confirm the announcement later today.
Eish man, hope there’s enough time to bring Handré Pollard through nicely this season because I really don’t see the Bulls doing anything of great value with Louis Fouché.
Anyway, Morné has been a very good servant to the Bulls and to South Africa, so I wish him well.
Interesting or maybe confusing, just yesterday I asked a question here about Morne moving after had seen a report claiming he was off to Racing Metro after the Super rugby tournament, but found it odd as Racing have also already been linked with Sexton. So if the Blue Bulls company announce this later today then I guess this sounds more plausible, where do these folk get their information from if it close sources or often mere speculation? Also interesting to hear that Blue Bulls may announce this today while Stade Francais are bound by their umbrella body not to be allowed to announce player movements until sometime in April if my understanding is correct. I suppose what do they do if Bulls announce it then it already is in the public domain does that free them up to confirm the move or do they still have to say ‘no comment’?
Morne has been a great servant of SA rugby.
Him leaving will not be a bad thing for SA rugby. Lets hope that Pollard can make thevBulls into a more “round” team.
I read that Juandre Kruger, Andries Bekker and Chabal lite are also leaving SA after the S15.
Are they all huursoldate?
@ Loosehead:
Professional rugby players have a very short life span compared to soccer or cricket players. In the modern game, a player is considered to be a grizzled veteran by the age of 26 or 27, whereas in most other professional sports, they are considered to only reach their peak at that age. And to top it all HM has opened the door to SA players after he played a few of them in the EOYT last year. So can you really blame these guys?
‘I have invested so much of my life with the Bulls, so it was a very tough decision to make,’ Steyn said in a statement. ‘I basically owe everything I achieved in rugby to them, but the opportunity to join Stade comes at the right time in my career.
‘I always wanted to play some rugby abroad and experience a different lifestyle and now have the opportunity to go and do that. They have been negotiating with me for a while now and I have decided not to accept the offer from the Bulls to extend my contract, but rather join Stade.’
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke added: ‘I don’t think anyone can doubt or question the loyalty that Morne has shown to us. He has given everything he had for 10 years now and one cannot fault his decision to expand his horizons. We will forever be grateful to have a player like that in our generation and can only wish him the best.’
Steyn has played 42 Tests for the Springboks, amassing 486 points, and made his Super Rugby debut for the Bulls in 2005.
@ superBul:
6
with that i wish Morne a happy life in Europe and a good few years of great rugby there.
Thank you for what you have done
Now Cap it with a 4th Super Trophy
So have seen too that is officially confirmed then, well all the best for the future in France Morne. Still he is with us through till end of October so hopefully he will have a great end to his career at Loftus and lift a few trophies. Many of his various records will probably stand for a long time. Just a bit of a balancing act in bringing through his future replacement, it is important to build for the future but at the same time Mr Ludeke and co have a Super rugby title to challenge for this year so if Steyn keeps his current form up then surely he has to still get the bulk of the game time. One things for certain that after a long Super campaign, possible international season and Currie Cup Steyn will be really feeling tired this time next year as he would be going at end of October straight into tough action in France, that is if he is not on Boks end of year tour, so no real wee December break this year.
good luck morne al die pad van sand du plessis in bloem tot in frankryk,sal NOOIT daai strafskop in die tweede toets teen die leeus vergeet nie.go well
Two scribes view on JANTJIES and GRANT
LEMKE: ELTON JANTJIES
How do you destroy someone’s confidence and tell them you didn’t really have their best interests at heart in the first instance? When you send them out against the Bulls and Sharks in two tough away Super Rugby openers – at Loftus and Kings Park – and then you make him sit on the plastic for the first home match of the season.
Elton Jantjies was brought on loan from the Lions to the Stormers to bring a new dimension to a sterile backline and in a system where more onus was placed on defence than offence. Sure, the tiro had two poor matches for his new franchise – let’s not forget the possible effect his father’s recent death had on him – but to replace him with someone who doesn’t exactly have the X factor himself would be a negative message from Allister Coetzee.
DUNCAN: PETER GRANT
The Stormers have suffered their worst start to Super Rugby since 2008, when they also lost their opening two matches to the Bulls and Sharks. A 22-0 home thrashing at the hands of the then defending champions, the Crusaders, followed. The Cape franchise didn’t qualify for the play-offs that season.
Flyhalf Peter Grant must start ahead of Elton Jantjies against the current defending champions, the Chiefs, on Saturday to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.
Grant has only recently returned from his stint with the Kobe Steelers in Japan, but he’s had two weeks to settle. The demands of rugby are less stressful in the Far East, so he’ll be in good shape.
The 28-year-old has been Allister Coetzee’s first-choice No 10 and has spearheaded the Stormers to a Super Rugby final and two semi-finals. He’s already familiar with the squad, management and team structures, and will add plenty of comfort to the backline. His accurate boot will also ease goal-kicking fears. Would you not want a player of his experience in your team after back-to-back defeats?
Jantjies is not at the top of his game at the moment. While some pundits have stressed he needs time on the field to help him deal with his father’s recent death, the team’s needs come before the player’s. Include him on the bench and give him a run if the match situation allows it.
Loosehead wrote:
Hahahaha!!! Chabal “lite”… LMGA!!! Skerp!!!
@ grootblousmile:
Sadly, I Agree with your view on Fouché. Big disappointment after hearing so much and seeing much less. Nothing against Fouché, but my personal opinion would be to drop him and start getting Pollard ready for when the legendary King Steyn leaves for France. I believe that Pollard might just be the missing link that the Bulls are looking for?
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