With AC admitting that Montpellier is a big reason for Francois Steyns continued omission from the Boks squad (also Bismarck) it has cleared up the old question of why he is not picked.
However we can soon judge the honesty of this statement by witnessing whether or not Jan Serfontein gets picked in the future as he is playing for the same club. Surely the club will hold Serfontein by the same standards as their other South Africans.
If Serfontein gets picked for next years Championship and Steyn does not then we have very reliable evidence that AC is a serial liar.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/issues-with-steyns-club-coetzee-admits-20171121
Interesting article huh?
While I think that AC is horrible with the media - his "I don't work for Twitter" comment was especially bad - I feel that it is inappropriate and unfair to him to deliver this news. This is a financial and organizational issue with how SA Rugby manages the national team. It is a big problem that needs root level strategies and solutions.
While Francois Steyn has some issues specific to him, the fact is that playing for the Boks is a career and financial risk for the top level players that can command European contracts. This is the reality. This is why I think that Rassie Erasmus becoming the Boks coach after the tour is a bad idea. He needs to get the contracting and player management situation sorted. SA Rugby has two strategic issues that they must clarify:
1) How to best contract promising SA players that have not yet left South Africa. It is seams clear to me that they are being very careful about who is offered a Bok contract because they tie up limited resources. SA Rugby needs to keep players like Etzebeth, Kolisi, Pollard, du Toit in South Africa from a young age and playing for the Boks day-in-day out into their 30s if they want and are able. Serfontein turning down a Bok contract is bad. A big part of Rassie's job is making sure that when central contract offers are made that they are accepted.
2) Having a good relationship with Euro clubs so that players can go overseas but then be able to come back and play in SA for a year or so (a larger chuck of time than test windows) to both nestle in with the Boks, maintain some exposure to SH rugby and help to nurture and grow young players. I have no problem with players going overseas and then coming back to play for the Boks but there almost needs to be an agreement for "gap years" so that players can be close to the Boks and are part of the SA set-up for a longer and more consistent period of time. I want SA Rugby players to have opportunities. If a rural SA kid, black or white, has an international opportunity that is great. It alone is worth supporting, but SA Rugby needs experienced players in SA. Opportunities for future generations will dry up with experienced players nurturing young talent in other countries. To keep the opportunities coming, experienced top-level players must spend some significant time in SA. This is an inter-generational issue that an organization like a Union is charged with solving. This could affect players like Franco Mostert and Francois Venter who probably can't be offered Bok contracts based on age and performance but SA Rugby should try and keep in the mix. They could go overseas for 2 years and hopefully come back or sign a 4 years contract with a gap year to play in SA 2019-2020, or something.
Rassie's job as the Director of Ruby is to get this sorted out. It is not to coach the Boks day-in-day out. I could see Pro 14 clubs/regions possibly being open to a contract system that allows for more flexibility for Bok selections and time in SA (not sure about England and probably not France). These are the kind of deals Rassie needs to do to earn his salary if you ask me.
It will take awhile for SA Rugby to be in a stable and well organized enough place to have top-level players aged 28 to 33 available for them on any regular and consistent basis. They will also need some things to go their way like a better South African government that can provide some financial security and get the currency moving in the other direction.
As for Serfontein specifically, I think that he might play against England, and in the End of Year Internationals, but not in next year's Rugby Championship.
