Steyn Back in driving Seat for Springboks

Having been virtually given up on just a number of days ago, Morne Steyn is now in pole position for a starting berth when South Africa get their World Cup underway against Wales on September 11th. After the Springboks decided to start their first Tri-Nations game against Australia with a young-looking side peppered with just a few experienced players – a plan which eventually backfired as the Wallabies ran out winners by a score of 39-20 – Steyn was seen by many as the scapegoat for the loss. Those following the Rugby World Cup betting would have been shocked.

As one of the most experienced player in that line-up – he now has 24 caps for his national side – he received a great deal of criticism for not acting as the rudder for the younger individuals that were playing alongside him. As a result, the calls from home to re-instate Butch James immediately and for the foreseeable future were hard to ignore, but now with just one more game remaining for South Africa before they start their World Cup group games, Syeyn is still in possession of the No. 10 shirt – and has no plans to relinquish it ahead of their final Tri-Nations match against New Zealand

"When I play these guys [the All Blacks] I think of scoring 31 points against them in Durban [in 2009] – we were on top of our game. We have the same players this week and there is no reason we can't do it again," he said.

Despite being selected in the original squad for the Tri-Nations and therefore seemingly having to try-out for what many believed to be his own jersey – and with Butch James being selected for the Springboks' most recent loss, only to be dropped again – it would seem that he has come through the audition process unscathed. Those looking at the Will Greenwood tips should remember this.

All that is left for Steyn to rubber-stamp his name on the flight to New Zealand as starting fly-half, it would seem, is to show the selectors exactly what they would be missing by overlooking him for their opening group fixture; namely by helping his nation salvage some pride against a markedly weakened All Black side this Saturday – and if he can kick consistently, as well as making his first-up tackles, then a place in the history books awaits.