VIDEO: Why Morné Steyn edged Curwin Bosch in Bok race
Talented Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch will feel aggrieved that he did not make the Springbok or South African ‘A’ team cut for the encounters with the British and Irish Lions.
However, the 23-year-old back has been cautioned to be ‘patient’.
The 46-man squad, named at the weekend, features three veteran flyhalves – two World Cup winners in Handré Pollard (27, 48 caps) and Elton Jantjies (30, 37 caps). Then there is also the recalled 36-year-old Morné Steyn (66 caps).
Two-times World Cup winner Frans Steyn (34, 67 caps) is listed as a midfielder, but can easily also slot in at flyhalf.
The two Steyns, Morné and Francois, are the only remaining members of the class of 2009, which scored a two-one series win over the B&I Lions in 2009.
Morné Steyn slotted the series-clinching penalty from inside his own half in the second Test at Loftus Versfeld 12 years ago.
It is the selection of Morné Steyn ahead of Bosch that caused a bit of a stir in the post-announcement analysis.
Nienaber said they were looking for “consistency” in the flyhalf channel, which is why they opted for Morné Steyn ahead of the prodigiously talented Curwin Bosch.
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Steyn, who made his debut in the first Test against the 2009 B&I Lions at Kingspark in Durban, played the last of his 66 Tests against New Zealand at the same stadium in 2016.
Bosch, in contrast, has played just two internationals – having made his debut against Argentina at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, in 2017 and his only other Test was against Wales at the RFK Stadium, Washington DC, the following year.
“The most consistent flyhalf in the post-COVID period in South Africa was Morné [Steyn],” Nienaber told a virtual media briefing, when asked about the flyhalf selection.
He told the young Sharks pivot, Bosch, to be patient – as his opportunity will come.
“Not to take anything away from Curwin [Bosch], he has X-factor [and is] phenomenal.
“He can win games from nothing.
“He is only 23 and as he gets older and plays more ‘big’ games, play in Currie Cup finals, he will become more consistent.
“I can see him play a lot of Test matches for South Africa.”
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