Jake White challenges the younger players at the Bulls to learn from veteran Morné Steyn

The 36-year-old former Springbok pivot Steyn rolled back the years with a near flawless display with ball-in-hand and with the boot during the Bulls’ 39-6 thrashing of the Sharks last weekend

His highly impressive performance has revived talks of whether he still has a role to play for the Springboks where Handrè Pollard and Elton Jantjies have established themselves.

“I watched him play for Stade Français in Paris when I was coaching Montpellier and he was still winning games there‚” White said of Steyn‚ who had a hand in three of the five tries that the Bulls scored against the Sharks.

“He was winning man-of-the-match awards‚ when he was there Stade Français won the league and he was one of the most important players for them as well. He is one of the older guys‚ Duane (Vermeulen) is also one of the older guys and also Trevor (Nyakane) is one of the older guys.

“They are the good role models and their performances on the pitch make it so much easier for the coaching staff and it also makes make the juniors to want to play like them. If they play like that‚ it rubs off to the junior players.”

White was also full of praise for exciting outside centre Stedman Gans who earned the man-of-the-match award after sparkling with a brace of tries against the Sharks.

“The one thing I have also enjoyed is that combinations have been growing and growing. Gans and Kurt-Lee (Arendse) can both play wing and the one thing I have enjoyed is moving them into the midfield where they can get their hands on the ball.

“Let’s not forget that Gans has played against Lukhanyo Am who I rate as the best outside centre in South Africa and probably in the world.

"In a space of a month‚ he has played against Lukhanyo AM twice. There is no doubt that when he comes off the field having played against Lukhanyo‚ he takes that confidence with him. It is wonderful to see those two guys combining very well.”

- TimesLIVE

Source: ARENA Holdings.