Springbok “rocket launcher” Francois Steyn has admitted that moving to France to play for Top 14 club Racing-Metro could endanger his international career but said his move out of the comfort zone had taken priority.
The 22-year-old, who has started training with his new team-mates and could be included in the squad for Saturday’s home game against Montpellier, added that the new challenge of playing overseas was something he could not have turned down.
“Yes, without doubt,” he answered when asked in an interview with L’Equipe sports daily if his French leave could affect his international Springbok career.
“But I’m still young and all my life I’ve always wanted to sample new experiences. When you always do the same things over and over in the same place, you get bored, you always stay in your comfort zone.
“It’s because of that that I wanted something different, something to see how I will react.”
Steyn, the youngest ever World Cup winner at age 19 in 2007, added: “I would love to continue playing for the Springboks, that’s for sure. But the decision is in the coaches’ hands. They’re not too keen on picking guys who play overseas, so we’ll see.
“In the meantime, my priority is to perform well for Racing and if I can bring something to the club I’ll be stoked.
“I feel quite fresh because during the last three Bok Test matches I only came off the bench. I feel like I’ve recovered well and I’m raring to go with Racing, as soon as possible.”
Racing-Metro languish one from bottom of the Top 14 league and badly need the skills of the ex-Sharks star who is a proven long-distance kicking phenomenon also offering considerable versatility, having played Tests for South Africa in the 10, 12, and 13 jerseys as well as number 15.
“The easiest would be to start at full-back because for the moment I don’t know all the combinations or the calls,” Steyn said of his positional desires with the Paris-based Racing club.
“But as soon as I’ve started to master them I’d like to move to inside centre.
“That said, it’s a little premature to start talking like that. I’ll play wherever they ask me to play, it’s not up to me to ask whatever I want.
“I don’t want them to treat me any differently from the others.
“And I know that first of all I have to win the respect of the coaches and my team-mates.
“But I prefer being closer to the action. I love contact and as I am still quite young, my body is physically capable of recovering quite quickly.
“I’ll have all the time to play at fullback later in my career.”
Steyn said he had been impressed by the set up at Racing and admitted to a good dose of nerves before meeting his team-mates.
“It was like going back to school for the first time,” he joked.
“At the start I was a bit nervous but after meeting the guys they quickly put me at ease.
“Everyone’s very laid back, the atmosphere was relaxed and I think I’ll be able to adapt easily.
“When I was here for the World Cup I really enjoyed myself in France and that made me want to come back. I chose Racing because I needed a new challenge.”
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