New recruit Steyn enjoys home away from home
Cardiff Blues tomorrow, continued: “My grandad was an engineer and they moved over to South Africa and I was born there. He was from Bearsden. My gran was born in Perth and then they met here in Glasgow, had my mum and her older sister, then moved to South Africa and their two younger sisters were born there.
“South Africa had a real shortage of engineers at the time, so he found a good opportunity and I think wanted some sun.”
What separates the 25-year-old from many others who have left the Dark Continent to join Scottish rugby teams, is that he is actually enjoying the climate here.
“It’s all good. I think I’ve got a bit of his [grandad’s] blood in me and I’ve never been opposed to the cold. I’d probably choose cold weather over hot. The sun’s a bit harsh on my skin anyway and my hair shines a bit red in the sun,” he said with a laugh.
Initially recruited by the Scotland sevens set-up he gets his chance partly because another South African-born winger, DTH van der Merwe, will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, and there are others of similar background in the camp.
“I didn’t know Oli [Kebble] and Huw [Jones] before I came over, but Huw and I have the same agent, so I knew it could be done. I hadn’t spoken to them, but it’s good to have a few familiar accents over here,” he said.
Steyn certainly has no reason to regret his decision to depart his homeland seeking his fortune overseas and he is ready for the challenges ahead.
“When it’s a club with a history as rich as this and with the position they’re in at the moment it’s a huge honour to sign for them, so I didn’t have to think twice,” he said.
“I’m raring to go, really excited for the opportunity that’s been given to me and I can’t wait to get out there and carry on the legacy that’s been there before me.”