MONTPELLIER MEMORIES
“Frans Steyn was already well known to French rugby fans when he joined Jake White at Montpellier in 2016 to become one of the club's 'LangueBoks' – a reference to the historic Languedoc region of southwest France in which the city sits and the number of players of South African origin at the club,” says France-based journalist James Harrington, who followed Steyn’s career closely. “He had played 57 times in a three-season stint with Racing between 2009 and 2012, before returning to the Sharks.
“The Jake White era at Montpellier was an uncomfortable mix of measurable success on the pitch and falling attendances as crowds, used to the 'sexy rugby' of his predecessor Fabien Galthie, struggled to come to terms with the more direct and uncompromising style of the South African coach.
“Steyn was integral to the Jake White method in Montpellier. In his first season, he was key to the club reaching the Top 14 play-o s, and winning the Challenge Cup title for the first and only time.
“He was, frankly, unstoppable in midfield, and accurate and monumental with the boot. While the White method was unfamiliar and unpopular to French rugby fans, Steyn was able to rise above it. For those Montpellier fans who stayed, he was a hero.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 208, December - January 2021 من NZ Rugby World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 208, December - January 2021 من NZ Rugby World.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
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RUGBY ROYALTY
FRANS STEYN’S IMPACT AT LAST YEAR’S WORLD CUP ADDED MORE PRESTIGE TO A DECORATED CAREER THAT ISN’T OVER YET. CRAIG LEWIS FROM SA RUGBY MAGAZINE REPORTS.
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NZ RUGBY WORLD EDITOR GREGOR PAUL HAS A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED THE CAPTAIN'S RUN. IN IT HE EXPLORES WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THE WORLD'S BEST RUGBY TEAM, HOW THE JOB HAS CHANGED AND HOW THE VARIOUS LEADERS HAVE DEALT WITH PRESSURE, FAILURE AND SUCCESS.
WOW FACTOR
SCOTT ROBERTSON IS UNORTHODOX BUT HE'S ALSO BRILLIANT AND WANTS A JOB WITH THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS.
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COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC CARNAGE IN 2020 BUT RATHER THAN BEING SEEN AS A WRECKER OF FORTUNES, THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY A GIANT BLESSING.
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THE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS OF 2020 SAW THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR HASTILY REDRAWN AND IN A UNIQUE TWIST FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AGE, THE ALL BLACKS PLAYED FOUR CONSECUTIVE TESTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA.
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FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.
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ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.
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THE BLUES WERE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2020 AND MUCH OF THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED WORK ON DEFENCE.
