Johannesburg (AFP)
South African opener Morne Steyn announced his international retirement on Tuesday but will continue to play with the South African franchise of the Bulls.
The former Stade Français opener, with whom he won the Top 14 and the European Challenge, told South African media Super Sport that he intended to "spend more time with (his) family".
"I told Jacques (Nienaber, the Springboks manager) that I haven't been the No.1 choice for a while now and that it didn't make sense to wait for injuries to have a chance to play "Said the 37-year-old native of Cape Town.
"I still have a year or two in my career and I would rather spend it playing for the Bulls than sitting on the bench. I really want to be able to enjoy my last years in rugby," Steyn insisted.
Morne Steyn began his international career in 2009, the year of a South African title in the Tri Nations, which has since renamed the Rugby Championship.
He has 68 caps with the Springboks.
A very regular scorer against pole vault, he notably took part in the two winning series of test matches of the South Africans against the British and Irish Lions, in 2009, and more recently in 2021, when he was no longer selected. since five years.
“He has been a brilliant servant to South African rugby and an incredible player. You can only congratulate him for what he has done on the pitch, the magic he has created. Especially recently, against the British Lions and Irishman, where he was phenomenal, ”Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber said in tribute on Tuesday.
"He is also someone very close to his family and I think the Covid contributed to his decision: it is not easy for members of a family to come and see a player in selection", a- he added.
Trained at the Pretoria Bulls, Steyn returned there after seven seasons at the Stade Français.
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