'Youthful' Steyn not getting distracted
He has achieved success at the highest level and holds a few world records, but Morné Steyn still gets excited every time he runs out for the Bulls.
The Bulls stalwart, who will on Saturday lead the team onto the field against the Highlanders in Dunedin to mark his 100th match for the Pretoria-based franchise, spoke of the “privilege and honour” of playing in such a landmark game.
The 34-Test veteran will become the sixth centurion for the Bulls.
However, he said Saturday is more about the team that about Morné Steyn.
“It is a big blessing in my rugby career to reach the milestone [of 100 games], especially at the ‘youthful’ age of 27,” he told this website in an interview from the team’s base in Sydney – where the Bulls did the early part of their preparations, before flying to Dunedin on Wednesday.
“I have been blessed to have avoided major injuries. I am certainly looking forward to Saturday, it will be a great occasion.”
But he made it clear that his focus is on keeping the Bulls’ winning streak on tour going, following their Australian clean sweep – victories over the Rebels and Waratahs.
“You remain focussed on the task at hand,” Steyn told this website, when asked about the milestone, adding: “Yes, you know it is a huge milestone, but my focus is on the game.
“Getting the win is vital, so we need to do it as a team and hopefully it [the milestone] won’t be any distraction. It is more a sideshow and we are determined to ensure it is not a distraction.”
Asked about the highlights at the Bulls and Boks during a first-class career that spans nearly a decade, he said all the trophies they won at the Bulls – the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Super Rugby titles, as well as the Currie Cup titles.
“Those all count among the highlights in my career. However, every time you can pull that jersey over your head is a privilege, as there are thousands of players out there who would like to have that honour and I have the privilege to do it every week.
“So every game you run out, you must enjoy and give 100 percent.”
His Springbok highlights are far more aggrandized.
“Everybody talks about that [55-metre] kick against the B&I Lions [in the second Test] at Loftus [Versfeld] that won the series, and from a personal point that gave me a great kick-start to my international career,” Steyn told this website.
“However, if you look at the Tri-Nations game against New Zealand [in Durban in 2009] where I scored all the points [a World record 31 points in a 31–19 win], as well as the Test in PE where I also scored all the points [in an 18-5 win in 2011, with five penalties and a drop-goal] – those are thing you enjoy.
“But as I said earlier, just to run out and play for your country is a blessing … there are just a handful of players who get the privilege and I have been blessed to be one of them.”
Steyn’s career started in the shadows of Derick Hougaard and has seen him elevated to South Africa’s premier pivot and the holder of a number of world records.
While has had a somewhat erratic start to the season, suggesting that one of the chasing pack may dispose him in the Green and Gold No.10, his recent performance – both with the boot and ball in hand – showed that he has accepted the challenge of the pretenders to his throne.
There is no doubt he is one of the rocks in a Bulls team sitting pretty at the top of the Super Rugby table and chasing a fourth title.
Steyn this year passed the magical 1 000 points mark in Super Rugby, the first South African to achieve this landmark and he is fast closing in on Dan Carter’s record in the competition.
A quick glance at his list of records shows just how much he has achieved.
All Morné Steyn’s records:
* World record for most points scored by a player who has scored all their team’s points (31).
* Most points scored against New Zealand (31) in a single test
* South African record for penalties in a test (eight) – beating the seven achieved twice by former fullback and now kicking coach of South Africa, Percy Montgomery.
(All of the above records achieved with his 31 points scored in the Tri-Nations 2009 match against the All Blacks in Durban on 1 August 2009)
* South African record for most points in a test against Australia.
* Fastest 100 points by a Springbok (eight Test matches, three as replacement)
* Fastest 200 points by a Springbok (16 Test matches)
* Fastest 300 points by a Springbok (24 Test matches)
* Fastest 400 points by a Springbok (33 Test matches)
* Most drop-goals in a Super Rugby season (11).
* Most points scored against the All Blacks for a Springbok (31).
* Most points in a Tri-Nations match (31).
* Most drop-goals in a Super Rugby game (four) (in the 2009 Super 14 semifinal against the Crusaders)
* Most drop-goals in Super Rugby (22)
* Most drop-goals in a Super Rugby season (11 in 2009)
* Most penalties in a Super Rugby season (51 in 2010)
* Most points in a Super Rugby season (263) – beating Dan Carter’s record of 221 set in 2006.
* Steyn also holds the record for most consecutive successful kicks at goal in Test play since statistics for that category were first kept in the late 1980s. He had a streak of 41 successful attempts that ended on 6 November 2010 against Ireland. The previous record was 36, held by Chris Paterson of Scotland.
By Jan de Koning
