The Bulls confirmed on Monday that star Super Rugby five-eighth Morne Steyn will join French club Stade Francais at the end of October on a three-year contract.
His agent told AFP in January that the former Springbok playmaker would be moving to Paris and a Bulls statement said Steyn will head to the French capital after playing in this season’s Super Rugby and Currie Cup competitions.
“The opportunity to join Stade comes at the right time in my career. I have always wanted to play some rugby abroad and experience a different lifestyle,” said Steyn.
“I have invested so much of my life with the Bulls so it was a very tough decision to make. I owe everything I achieved in rugby to them but the chance to join Stade comes at the right time in my career.”
Bulls head coach Frans Ludeke said: “Morne will be missed as he is a world-class player but I know that he will be giving 110 per cent till the end of his contract”.
Among the leading goalkickers in the world for several seasons, 29-year-old Steyn suffered a serious slump last year and lost his place in the Springboks team to Johan Goosen.
But he has shown a return to form in early Super Rugby action, scoring 21 points against the Stormers in the opening round and 20 on Saturday against the Western Force to be joint leading points-scorer in the competition.
Jerry
Guest
They didn't 'pull him into the squad' the NZRU queried his availability as they knew he had been in NZ for more than 3 years. However, the IRB clarified that the period he was attending secondary school did not count towards his 3 year stand-down so he had to wait. A player who comes to NZ on a high school scholarship is hardly comparable to a player who'd already played 3 seasons of professional rugby.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
He wasn't eligible for the All Blacks when they pulled him into the squad.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Yeah, cause players in their late 20s, early 30s that have been dropped from the National Side and have already "done it all" in the Southern Hemisphere haven't been heading north for over a decade...
Yeah, Olivier's running with ball in hand reminds me of Kirchner and Jean de Villiers, all three of them look for a landing strip when they have ball in hand. No wonder our backline never passes with those three in.a bok jersey.
TembaVJ
Roar Guru
This will no doubt flow over to the Springboks. I like the guy but I wish Olivier would sign a deal in france. The bulls can poach a hard to tackle kiwi centre (Nonu seems to be a mercenary these days) teach him some mangled form of afrikaans, make some headlines and break some back lines.
Fully agree temba, keep the forward power, keep the territorial game, but add dimensions to the attack. How difficult can it be?
TembaVJ
Roar Guru
Im not saying everything out with the kitchen sink, simply add a dimension... cant be that hard with a bit of smart recruitment.
TembaVJ
Roar Guru
In all honesty (from a bulls fan) this might be a good time for the bulls to start playing a different style of rugby. They have x-factor players and lightning fast wingers that finish well. Why not start to play some modern style rugby? The rugby heads keep changing the rules to speed up the game and it always seems to effect the bulls style, why not embrace it instead of finding ways around it? With all the money, great support and dominant pack you think now will be a good chance to make some changes in the centres, employ an ex all black back coach and start to score some tries. Its not impossible, they can return as one of the best side easily by doing so.
Zingar
Guest
Obvious exaggeration for the sake of humour, relax people. Brad Barrit, Moritz Botha, Matt Stevens, Stuart Abbott. These are the kind of players I was thinking of. And yes, I'm happy they pick them, if only because unemployment in SA is so high.
No it isn't.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
'England is constantly picking our C team against us, and we complain?' Is that true?
Sandy
Guest
I hear you BB, I was just responding to your point about the Aussie team not being squeaky clean.
Yes, that's the one. As far as Claasens go, I struggle to beleive that. He grew up in a household where rugby ruled, his dad was a Springbok, he dad was a springbok captain. How does one's heart belong in France with that heritage? Sure over time, it is possible, but I don't beleive for one second he wanted to represnt France when he moved.
Sandy
Guest
I am assuming this is the article you are referring to, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10867401 Of the 3 Aussie players mentioned, Ione moved to Aus at the age of 5, Cooper when he was 13 and Kepu was born in Sydney so I'm thinking he wouldn't need residency...he would have birth rights. Claassens said his heart belongs in France, worth a thought.
Sandy, I don't care who plays for other teams mate, as long as the Boks stay pure I am happy. I don't ever want to celebrate a win because a foriegn qualified player won a match for us. For the rest, they must make up their own minds.
Sandy
Guest
I'd say don't believe everything you read BB. Cooper Vuna, Mike Harris granted but most other players were either born in or schooled in Australia.
Greg
Guest
Sivivatu wasn't an adult when he moved to NZ, the nzru didnt poach him, jiggles.
Zingar
Guest
Positives to England for picking M Steyn: He'll never get injured through any of those nasty "tackle" situations, nor will any of the rest of your backline (plenty of rest for them too). Just a slight worry that your scrumhalf might pick up an arm strain making long passes back to behind the tryline where he normally waits to receive the ball.
Zingar
Guest
Actually I have the answer to the Morne Steyn naturalisation problem: he was wearing a green jersey, but he wasn't really playing rugby, see? Of course the IRB and any thinking rugby fan knows that he was really playing soccer, and I don't think IRB laws apply to different sporting codes, do they? Then we can let England pick him, and either he does badly in which case we won't notice the difference to either his play or England's, or he does REALLY badly, and that'll make the NH powers rethink their player import policies. Problem solved for everyone!
chris
Guest
Very few players go on to much success overseas. Most are squad players in the lower end of the french league where the team needs bodies to get through their season. I am actually surprised it is not more of a problem though as the professional system in South Africa only really scratches the surface of the potential talent available. If you don't go from a big rugby school and then on to one of the big unions straight after school your chances of making it as pro player in South Africa next to non-existent.