Pretoria - They say some of the best lessons in life can be learned from sport.
Character can be defined as a combination of qualities. In rugby, I like to compare character to the ability to resurrect. Its easy to stay down when you fall, be afraid to fall again, hide underneath your own dust. But as life have it, its when you make the decision to get back up, to start over, when you pull through and hold on, its exactly then when your character will be tested.
Like anything, South Africa will not realize what they have, until its gone. Back in '09, Morne Steyn was good. Made history when he defeated the British & Irish Lions in his own back yard. He destroyed the All Blacks in Durban, the Wallabies in Cape Town. He made the no.10 bok jersey his own. He enslaved South African rugby. Made us all rely on him to keep on doing the impossible.
And then he fell into a dark place in his rugby career. Became "The one we do not speak of"....
He was a hero to many back in '09, But in 2013, he's even better...
He resurrected. He left the '12 season in the past. I don't think there's a lot of players that would be able to turn a horror season like Morne's 2012 season, around. The only one I can think of is Mr. Percy Montgomery.
If we can work on a solid Bok Pack of forwards, something we have more than enough of, 2013, will be the year South Africa show the world how a "Mastermind Kicking style" destroy the entertainment of "Running Rugby". Its funny, Morne Steyn is the most predictable Fly-Half in the world, and yet again, without anything fancy, without the best scrumhalf in the world, without the strongest pack of forwards, and without senior players all around him, "He mastered accurate decision making" - a Fly Half.
Decisions that doesn't necessarily results in "try-fests", but decisions that creates pressure, and 80% of the time results in victory and of-course a happy camp. Kick, Run, Pass.. does it matter??? His job is to make the decision, he's confident with his boot, know's when to run, scores tries, create tries, dictates the 80 minute spell. He plays a mental game, the type of mental game Sir. Jonny Wilkinson was a master of back in '03.
But South Africa, just remember that he's human. He will get his off days, days when the bounce of the ball goes unintended, or end's up short. It happens to everyone.
Mr. Steyn, its good to have you back. I'm proud of you, your comeback. And I'm sure there's a lot of people that feels the same. Don't stop doing what u do best!
...its totally understandable if your dogs rips up your Stade Français contract. They are frustrated. No one will blame them. :)
Character can be defined as a combination of qualities. In rugby, I like to compare character to the ability to resurrect. Its easy to stay down when you fall, be afraid to fall again, hide underneath your own dust. But as life have it, its when you make the decision to get back up, to start over, when you pull through and hold on, its exactly then when your character will be tested.
Like anything, South Africa will not realize what they have, until its gone. Back in '09, Morne Steyn was good. Made history when he defeated the British & Irish Lions in his own back yard. He destroyed the All Blacks in Durban, the Wallabies in Cape Town. He made the no.10 bok jersey his own. He enslaved South African rugby. Made us all rely on him to keep on doing the impossible.
And then he fell into a dark place in his rugby career. Became "The one we do not speak of"....
He was a hero to many back in '09, But in 2013, he's even better...
He resurrected. He left the '12 season in the past. I don't think there's a lot of players that would be able to turn a horror season like Morne's 2012 season, around. The only one I can think of is Mr. Percy Montgomery.
If we can work on a solid Bok Pack of forwards, something we have more than enough of, 2013, will be the year South Africa show the world how a "Mastermind Kicking style" destroy the entertainment of "Running Rugby". Its funny, Morne Steyn is the most predictable Fly-Half in the world, and yet again, without anything fancy, without the best scrumhalf in the world, without the strongest pack of forwards, and without senior players all around him, "He mastered accurate decision making" - a Fly Half.
Decisions that doesn't necessarily results in "try-fests", but decisions that creates pressure, and 80% of the time results in victory and of-course a happy camp. Kick, Run, Pass.. does it matter??? His job is to make the decision, he's confident with his boot, know's when to run, scores tries, create tries, dictates the 80 minute spell. He plays a mental game, the type of mental game Sir. Jonny Wilkinson was a master of back in '03.
But South Africa, just remember that he's human. He will get his off days, days when the bounce of the ball goes unintended, or end's up short. It happens to everyone.
Mr. Steyn, its good to have you back. I'm proud of you, your comeback. And I'm sure there's a lot of people that feels the same. Don't stop doing what u do best!
...its totally understandable if your dogs rips up your Stade Français contract. They are frustrated. No one will blame them. :)