SOUTH AFRICA

Will the Steyn/Pienaar debate ever end?

Wednesday 06th August 2008

Let the rivers of ink flow: Ruan Pienaar and Francois Steyn

The Sharks seem to have sent a message back to national coach Peter de Villiers with discarded World Cup-winning Springboks Francois Steyn and Ruan Pienaar being selected at inside centre and scrum-half respectively to face Western Province in the Currie Cup this weekend.

Steyn and Pienaar, who have both been touted as possible successors to Butch James at fly-half, have been sent back to their province to get game time rather than sit on the sidelines while their Springboks team-mates play against Argentina on Saturday.

The entire debate may well have been skewed by the return to fitness of Frenchman Fred Michalak, who will play in between Steyn and Pienaar in an all-international 9-10-12 axis for the Durban side.

Pienaar, who has always said his preferred position is scrum-half, was widely expected to be picked to wear the number ten jersey for the Sharks after De Villiers hinted that that was were he wanted to see the versatile player start.

"If you know your rugby you will realise that Ruan has not played at fly-half much this year," De Villiers told the press earlier this week.

"We have good relations with the provincial coaches and we indicate to them in which positions we would like to see the players operate. I believe this is a more open and transparent way of doing things."

"If Ruan and Frans are the next best fly-halves they will have to prove it playing for their provinces."

But do Steyn and Pienaar really want to play at fly-half? The answer seems to be "no".

Steyn had a fantastic World Cup at inside centre, and when questioned after the Test against Italy on his supposed insistence on playing at fly-half for the Springboks, his answer indicated the situation wasn't so clear cut.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding," said the 21-year-old.

"The coach and I had a one-on-one discussion and we decided that it would be better for me in the long term to play at fly-half. That was our decision and we'll see how it goes."

So how did it go? Since then Steyn has had very limited time in the Springbok number-ten jumper, and despite De Villiers' insistence that he wants Steyn to specialise in one position, the young man has played in three different positions in the De Villiers era.

"I don't want anyone in this squad to one day point a finger at us and say he had failed because he had been forced to play in a certain position," said De Villiers on Monday.

"We will make proposals on the basis of their strong and weak points. If they then still feel they would play in a different position, it is their right to do so."

Reports emanating from Durban indicate that the Sharks are uncertain whether or not the two players will be recalled for Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town. The inclusion of Jaques Fourie and Fourie du Preez in the Springbok team for this weekend seems to justify those doubts.

Sharks coach John Plumtree was amongst those surprised to see the talented duo sent home, but he won't be complaining as the Durban side heads for Newlands with a team plump with 11 internationals, including at least one other player who might feel a little hard done by to have been left out of the Springbok fold.

Hands up if you feel BJ Botha deserves a place in the Bok squad - you won't be alone.