STEYN ON …

RETURNING TO SOUTH AFRICA IN 2020

‘My family is the reason I came back from France. When we got married our plan was always to raise our kids in Bloem. My eldest daughter is in Grade 4. Secondly, if there wasn’t all of this exciting stuff happening rugbywise here, I might have tried to do something else. I have a very soft spot for the Cheetahs, most of us do – it’s everybody’s second team! If Ruan Pienaar and I left, it wouldn’t put the team in a good place.’

THE SPRINGBOK SQUAD

‘Each team has its specialities and unique things, but Rassie Erasmus did an amazing job with taking players from a position where they were just starting out, to being superstars. Jake White said one year that you would never win the World Cup if a certain number of your team can’t be considered No 1 in their position in the world. There are a lot of guys in this current Bok squad who on their day are easily the best players in their position.’

THE 2023 WORLD CUP

‘It’s a long way away, and I’m fully focused on the Cheetahs. I want to try to get into the team to play Toulon [in the European Challenge Cup playoffs] and then have a good Currie Cup. I can’t say I’m going to the World Cup and this is what I’m going to do there. It doesn’t work like that. To be selected for the Springbok squad, you need to be on form, so I must play well for the Cheetahs. There are a lot of young guys who are playing well at the moment, and if they are better than me, I’m happy for them to represent us at the World Cup and make us proud. But I’m going to give it my best shot.’