Jantjies learns the Boks lingo
ELTON Jantjies, is a man of few words so it is perhaps fitting that his coach speaks volumes about his performance against the French last week while the 26-year-old flyhalf chooses to say more by saying less.
“I think it says a lot that despite an up-and-down season in the Bok jersey last year, Elton is now part of our leadership group after what we have seen in Super Rugby and how he has improved his management of the game,” Coetzee said.
“Elton has played consistently well for the Lions this season and they could not possibly be where they are in the competition without a flyhalf in great form, and a year on after the disappointment for all of us in 2016, Elton is now showing that he is enjoying the pressure of international rugby,” Coetzee said.
“There is a different kind of pressure in Test rugby and Elton understands that now,” Coetzee added.
Jantjies, ever reluctant to talk, shyly said that he had settled down this season in the Springbok team albeit only a match into the international year, because he was reacting better to pressure.
“This year at the Boks in our training camps we have looked at fixing what happened last year, and with the guys now buying into the way we want to play, it is easier for me to take responsibility for making decisions,” Jantjies said.
“While we are of course expecting the forwards to make the ball as quick as possible, the flyhalf can dictate play when the quality possession is there and the guys outside him know how we plan to attack.” It has made it much easier for Jantjies to have a game-making axis in fellow Lions players Warren Whiteley (No 8), Ross Cronje (9) and then outside backs in Andries Coetzee, Courtnall Skosaan and now (in all probability) Lionel Mapoe at 13 (for injured Jesse Kriel), with the starting line-up to be named today.
“Obviously it makes it easier for you when the players either side of you are all speaking the same rugby language (that of the Lions),” Jantjies said. “It makes it easier to premeditate the calls because each guy knows what you are going to do.” Tonga ....... v New Zealand . . v Samoa . . . . . . Australia Wales ....... . . . . . v Scotland . . . . . Japan ........ vIreland ...... ..vFrance ...... Canada . . . . . . v Romania . . . . . Fiji
WEEKEND RUGBY FIXTURES
. . . . . . . . v French Baabaas Argentina . . . . . v England . . . . . . Maori All Blacks v B & I Lions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Italy . . . . . . . USA ......... vIreland ......
Play-offs, including third/fourth place, France v South Africa (from 1.45pm SS7) and final, England v New Zealand final (from 3:45pm SS1)
Valke v Golden Lions (Kempton Park, 2:30pm, SS1/ CSN/SS Select SA); Leopards v Griffons (Potchestroom, 6pm)
Welwitschias v Pumas (Windhoek, 2pm, SS1/CSN/ SS Select SA); Boland Kavaliers v SWD Eagles (Malmesbury, 3pm)
Jantjies said this year he felt more comfortable in the Bok set-up and was better used to the responsibility of becoming a Bok.
“The same goes for our wings in Courtnall and Raymond Rhule. Both of them have walked a long road in the Springbok camp without nailing down starting positions, and I think you can see they are ready to do that. They are taking the responsibility on their shoulders and embracing being Springbok finishers,” Jantjies said.
“Everybody knows we are looking to play with more width and while that is hopefully going to bring the wings more into the game, we have to be mindful that France know how we want to play, and are going to try and put the ball in behind us,” the flyhalf added.
“We are going to have to be tighter on defence around the fringes of the rucks and we have to box clever after showing our hand last week,” Jantjies said.
“They are wiser about us and we are wiser about how we must play against them after last week.” Darryn Pollock
FRANS Steyn is an enigma ... always has been and probably always will. But he is undeniably an incredible talent who has never not had a role to play for the Springboks, even when he has been out from the set-up. Now, after a five-year hiatus, where does this prodigal son fit in?
Steyn’s early interactions with the Boks will be remembered for the way in which he stepped into the boots of one of South Africa’s premier centres, Jean de Villiers, to take the Boks to World Cup glory in 2007 aged 20.
But Steyn’s actual introduction to the national side came in a pretty special Test in 2006 when he started on the left wing against Ireland wearing the commemorative 1906 centenary jersey and in true Steyn style, scored a try on debut.
That Test is a personification of a lot of his qualities. He stood out from day one with his ability and his versatility to play all across the back-line and to grab the headlines with a powerful try.
He was brought into the international spotlight sporting a different look in a white collared, all green jersey, and since then has always been a player who has not gone about things in the usual way.
Although it may not seem like much today, Steyn was heralded as a back-line behemoth at 1.9 metres and 100kg with the ability to play flyhalf, fullback, centre and even wing; probably flank too, if asked.
As Steyn’s reputation grew, he became integral at the Sharks as well as in the Boks’ set-up. His cannon boot saw him slotting long range penalties and famous drop goals, but he soon felt the need for more.
He was a bit of a watershed case when he signed for French club Racing Metro in 2010 at only 23. The former Grey College student had a lot to offer and wanted to showcase it on some of the biggest and most diverse stages. When you have won the World Cup barely out of your teens, it will be hard to chase those highs again.
Dramatically, in 2013, Steyn made a big statement by walking out on the Boks in the middle of a Test week, before they were due to play Wales in Durban. Brand name rights appeared to be at the centre of the dispute and Steyn was happy to stick to his principles.
That was the last Steyn was seen in green and gold until last week. A very different Frans Steyn walked through the team’s hotel doors in Plettenberg Bay as preparations began for this French series.
In what must be seen as a positive, Steyn is no longer the centre of the Bok universe. He has so much to offer, but the ego, self importance and weight of expectation is far removed. He is in the team with a very different role and while his spot on the field, the bench, or even just in the squad is debated, his role as a mentor is more straightforward.
Steyn is now 30 and has spent many years playing in South Africa, for South Africa, and in France with some of the biggest names in world rugby. To say he has a few tips and tricks and stories to tell is an understatement. Word from the Bok camp already is that Steyn has been giving unique insight into the opposition having played with and against many of them.
There are also a lot of untested players in the squad and Steyn can offer a lot of calmness and advice as to how to handle the pressures of international rugby.
But where does Steyn actually fit in?
At 30, he is not exactly one for the future for the Boks; he’s there to fill a role that goes beyond his playing ability, so it has to be remembered that preference should be going to those who are earmarked for greater things.
This immediately marks Steyn as an impact player off the bench, but what an impact to have! He has the versatility to cover a host of positions, which makes him a luxury to have on the bench, especially if a six-two split is in the offing.
Coming off the bench, Steyn can be a handful too. He has been coached through much of his career to use his physicality over his skill, but his skill is equally good, if not better, but highly underutilised.
As the maverick he is in personality, so is he in skill.
He will attempt the outrageous if given licence, so when the opposition tires and the game is tight, who better to break the advantage line, make the miracle pass and kick the 60-metre penalties?
This crop of Springboks are trying to reinvent their game; skills over pure brawn. In Steyn they have the traditional brawn but they have this latent ability with ball in hand, waiting to be given the green light, a light coach Allister Coetzee has given judging by the time he had at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.