Steyn’s Bok passion still burns bright

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Veteran Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn has opened up on his ambitions to resume playing for the Springboks during the upcoming British & Irish Lions tour.

Steyn’s spectacular form since returning to the Bulls from Stade Francais has had him included in the Springbok alignment camps for the Lions series.

The 36-year-old – hero of the 2009 series against the Lions when he kicked a long-range winning penalty in the second Test match – won the last of his 66 Test caps against New Zealand in Durban in 2016.

Speaking to TimesLive, Steyn revealed that while it has been five years since his last game for the Springboks, he is still keen to earn his place in the team.

‘Definitely‚ I think for any player in South Africa at any union the dream and the motivation is always to play for the Springboks,’ Steyn said.

‘Playing for the Boks will always be the case for me until I hang up my boots. I definitely want to play for the Springboks again and it is one of the things that motivate me because I am a very competitive guy. Wherever I am playing‚ I want to be the best flyhalf on the field.

‘When I came back to the Bulls I said I am not coming back to sit on the bench. I am here to be the best No 10 and that will always be my goal.’

The Springboks’ incumbent flyhalf, Handre Pollard, recently returned from a long-term knee injury with his French team Montpellier, while Elton Jantjies is also currently playing in France after joining Pau on a short-term loan deal from the Lions.

Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images