Watch: The Durban test that ended Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn's test career
When the All Blacks played the Springboks at Kings Park in Durban in 2009, a young Morne Steyn finished with a monstrous personal tally of 31 points, the highest ever individual haul against New Zealand as the Springboks romped home to a 31-19 win.
Seven years later in 2016, the same two teams met again at the same venue for the first time since Steyn’s record-setting day.
Morne Steyn had been recalled into the Springboks squad under Allister Coetzee after indifferent results with Super Rugby star Elton Jantjies.
He kicked all 18 points to lead the Springboks to an 18-10 win over the Wallabies in Perth, nailing two drop goals and four penalties during the 2016 Rugby Championship.
Many Springbok fans had visions his 2009 performance would be repeated in Durban after his expert showing in Perth. After 40-minutes in Durban, Steyn had kicked three penalties to trail the All Blacks 12-9 at halftime.
After just three minutes in the second half, the All Blacks were building intense pressure on the Springboks defence, rolling through 16 phases. Steyn became entangled with Joe Moody off the ball after taking out the halfback TJ Perenara, losing his cool and clubbing Moody in the stomach during the tangle.
Two phases later he dived into a ruck with a swinging arm, before having to get up and defend again. He missed a crucial tackle on Israel Dagg with a tired effort, as Dagg slipped through after a miraculous Barrett offload to put the All Blacks up 17-9.
Steyn then kicked the halfway restart into the All Blacks in-goal, giving the visitors a scrum on the 50-metre line.
It was the beginning of the end for Steyn as the All Black machine would put up 45 second-half points on the back of a sublime performance from World Player of the Year Beauden Barrett.
A charge down by Anton Lienert-Brown gave Barrett his first try, extending the lead to 22-12. Barrett missed another conversion, having only landed 1 from 5 at this point, but it would not matter.
Steyn kicked well off the tee, landing his fifth penalty near the 60-minute mark, but his old school style of hammering long kicks down the field cost the Springboks as the All Blacks returned with contestable bombs from Barrett and Ben Smith that were regathered, setting up attacking possessions. He would be subbed in the 63-minute with the game lost.
A Barrett line break assist set up a break by Kieran Read that was finished by TJ Perenara. A crafty offload by Liam Squire quickly after a turnover saw Barrett scamper away for his second try. Codie Taylor would bank a mauling try after Lood De Jager copped a yellow card. Ben Smith finished a break with Barrett providing the last pass, his second try assist. A mid-range chip kick by Barrett off his left foot would lead to the final try to Liam Squire.
The reaction on Twitter was mixed as South African slumped to their worst ever defeat to the All Blacks by 57-15.
So morne steyn rectified elton jantjies deficiencies for #boks No tries, Record defeat, Statistical nightmare
— aubrey nyaguse (@mnaubrey) October 8, 2016
Where are all those Morné Steyn fans from last week? And the sports journos defending Coetzee & Steyn lst week?
Worst coach since Streauli— David (@Dewald_duPlooy) October 8, 2016
Under the spotlight was the defensive performance of the backs, with Morne Steyn singled out by this user who asked “can the rugby experts confirm how many missed tackles Morne Steyn had in yesterday’s All Blacks game ??”
Kan die rugbykenners bevestig hoeveel missed tackles Morne Steyn gehad het in gister se All Blacks game??
— ? Johannes Dampies ? (@DampiesJ) October 9, 2016
Springbok backline – 21 Missed tackles out of 33. Steyn 5, Faf 4, Habana, Hougie 3 ea. The root of the problem.
— Brenden Nel (@Brendennel) October 8, 2016
Morné Steyn made 7tackles and missed 5 yesterday. Juan de Jongh missed 4. Nice.#RugbyChampionship
— David (@Dewald_duPlooy) October 9, 2016
The Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss bandwagon is confused. Everybody that got on last Sunday has suddenly disembarked again…
— IG: johngoliath (@JohnGoliath82) October 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/d_kingmaker_b/status/784883021107245056
Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett explained to SuperSport among the many issues with loss was the style of play.
“The philosophy of trying to play rugby without the ball is not only a negative one, but it just doesn’t work against a side which has such attacking genius as the All Blacks do at the moment,” he said.
“Kicking the ball away in desperation and then not finding touch against people like Waisake Naholo and Israel Dagg will cost you.
“Our defence is frenetic. We tackle and tackle and then get tired. And as soon as the intensity drops against the All Blacks, they score tries.”
Rob Houwing of Sport 24 described the test as the “starkest confirmation yet during this grim year that the Boks are all at sea strategically, a rot that has inevitably infected individual performance levels, even of players with prior, proud reputations.”
Just one member of the Springbok backline received a rating of 5/10 by Houwing with the rest under that mark.
The Durban test would prove to be Morne Steyn’s last outing in a Springbok jersey, with the goal kicking ace never playing again for South Africa.
The three-time Super Rugby champion would finish his 66-test career with 736 test points, second only behind Percy Montgomery, with a world-class goal kicking success rate above 80%.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
45 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
45 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
45 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
45 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
45 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
45 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
45 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments