Matfield’s flank fling

Matfield’s flank fling

11 Mar 2008

The world’s best lock has been playing flank. They do things a little differently at Toulon Rugby Club.

It would be unheard of in South Africa for Matfield trade shirt No. 5 for No. 7. He has no equal when it comes to lock play. His analyses of, and ability to read and torment opposition jumpers is legendary, while is skill and athleticism in loose play is unmatched.

There was, however, method to head coach Tana Umaga’s madness. Matfield, speaking to keo.co.za from his home in the picturesque suburb of Carquieranne, picks up the story of his three matches in unfamiliar territory.

“The whole purpose behind the switch was to enable me to get my hands on the ball more,” Matfield explains. “The coaching staff wanted me to be more involved in the loose, and they felt I had the necessary skills to succeed as a flanker.

“The adjustment was a fairly easy one to make. There’s not many differences other than packing down at a different place in the scrum. I still played the same role I always have in the lineouts – making the calls and being the primary jumper.

“I enjoyed the couple of matches I played there, but I think they realised I was best utilised at lock, so I’m back there for this weekend’s match [Matfield will be partnered by former Bulls team-mate Francois van Schouwenburg].”

Toulon currently top the log in Pro Division 2, four points clear of Stade Montois and a further 10 points clear of the ambitious Paris-based Racing Metro [two teams are promoted to the Top 14]. They have, however, dropped points on the road, putting them under pressure going into the closing stages of the season.

“It’s getting tight now but we’ve got a good, experienced side, so I’m confident we will cope with the pressure,” he said. “The key is to get a couple of away wins [they've lost their last three away games] because that’s been our weakness this season.”

Asked what he made of the Bulls’ indifferent form this season, Matfield sympathized with his former franchise but was in no doubt that their form graph would show an upward curve in the coming weeks.

“The key is to focus on the week ahead and not be overly fixated on setting goals for the [Australasian] tour,” he said. “You get into trouble the moment you start looking ahead and lose focus on the task at hand.

“I’m sure they’ll bounce back. They’ve played some good rugby this season – people lose sight of that. They dominated for 30 minutes against an excellent Crusaders side, and should have been 15 points up with 10 minutes to go against the Sharks. I think inexperience cost them in those matches, with guys like Bakkies Botha, Bryan Habana and Akona Ndungane missing.

“But they’re back now which is a huge boost. They’ve been playing some good rugby in my opinion. They key is getting some momentum on tour, which would allow them to make a big charge in the latter part of the campaign.”

By Ryan Vrede


242 Comments

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  • 1.wez: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:30 pm

    Umaga has lost his dragons!

  • 2.Green Machine: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:42 pm

    Nice one Wez. :-D

    Gee, Ryan. You doin’ a helluva lot of reporting lately!

    Bladdy French. Screw everything up. I heard Toulon are looking for a wing. And Albert VD Berg’s been approached…

    :-D

  • 3.Xkreni-WP: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:43 pm

    I can actually see Matfield as a flank. Very athletic and fast, good hands and the extra weight.

    When back at the Bulls maybe play him flank and Roussouw and Bakkies at lock.

    With Spies and Wickus they can form a devestating combination.

    Oh and he is at least 2m taller than little Lulu

  • 4.pinkfloyd: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:49 pm

    Tana he can also play centre or on the wing because he spend a lot of time there playing for the Bulls!

  • 5.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:52 pm

    #4 Pink

    Agree. Uli Schmidt started that trend of hanging out on the wing. Did his best work out there.

  • 6.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:53 pm

    Xkreni, did you see that the Sharks used Daniel on a few occasions at the lineout? He [like most people] is taller than Loooooooke.

  • 7.wez: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 14:56 pm

    The Lions also used Big Joe on Outside centre from a scrum against you Bulls. Jaco packed down on the side of the scrum. Pity it didn’t work.

  • 8.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:07 pm

    Bloody alliteration.

    Ryan you behemoth.

  • 9.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:08 pm

    #8 Nou wat nou Dawnertjie ?

  • 10.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:10 pm

    “Flank fling.”

    All the headlines are the same.

  • 11.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:10 pm

    Ja , Ryan digging deep the last few weeks to write something to keep the mob reading

  • 12.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:12 pm

    Sitting there in France, eating late continental breakfasts and sipping cappucinos, and pretending it’s work!

    Bloody capitalist Monarchs.

  • 13.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:13 pm

    French don’t do cappacinos. Black unsugared coffee with the obligatory croissant more like it

  • 14.BlueBlood: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:15 pm

    Isin’t Umaga that 200 kg oke from WWE?

  • 15.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:16 pm

    #14 ha ha. good one

  • 16.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:16 pm

    Bakkies and WO both pulled their hamstrings in training today.

  • 17.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:16 pm

    speaking of wwe i see vince macmahon is getting his star on hollywood boardwalk today. contributions to entertainment

  • 18.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:19 pm

    pompa

    Looks like they pulled each other’s hamstrings.

  • 19.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:20 pm

    Ja there’s been alot of pulling going on in the Bulls camp!

  • 20.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:22 pm

    pompa are you talking kak or the truth?

  • 21.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:23 pm

    19

    Maybe they should start pulling their heads out their arses and things will be better

  • 22.wez: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:23 pm

    Pompa, are you serious?

  • 23.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:26 pm

    I am serious, read it on news24

  • 24.shooter: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:28 pm

    Pompa, regardles of the injuries. what is your story with the innuendo? I think it will take me 1 guess to know who you support.

  • 25.shooter: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:28 pm

    pompa is ‘n mannetjies gans

  • 26.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:31 pm

    Bulls land in Brisbane
    11/03/2008 13:31

    Pretoria – The Bulls have landed safely in Brisbane and completed their first training session during which Bakkies Botha and Wynand Olivier injured their hamstrings.

    The extent of their injuries aren’t known at this stage but good news is that Fourie du Preez recovered from his hand injury that he picked up against the Lions and Derick Kuun’s rib injury is something of the past.

    The Bulls play the Reds on Saturday (kick-off 11:05 SA time) before playing the Chiefs, Blues and Force on their overseas tour.

  • 27.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:32 pm

    Thanks Loskop. Damn I hope its not serious.

  • 28.4man: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:32 pm

    #21 pauld
    non controversial as usual i see :)

  • 29.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:33 pm

    #27 Kwagga

    Bakkies is a loss. That clown Wynand certainly isn’t so no need to get your knickers in a twist

  • 30.4man: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:34 pm

    pauld
    i see your Stormers managed to sneak a win on the weekend!!

  • 31.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:34 pm

    #28 4an

    Howzit boet. Yes , am just getting warmed up today. You should have seen me yesterday. Quite surprised I wasn’t banned by G-spot or whoever is the moddermaker these days

  • 32.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:34 pm

    Paul

    Only reason I am worried is becuase we’ve fukc all to replace him with. :lol:

  • 33.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:35 pm

    #30 4Man

    About bloody time too. Rassie has realised that you cant defend for 80 minutes. You need the tries. Stormers to finish mid-table

  • 34.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:36 pm

    #32 Kwagga

    Your manager , Wynie , could replace him. Hell , I could.

  • 35.Knersboy: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:36 pm

    yeah but if wynand can’t play, who will play fullback? maybe ndungane.

  • 36.wez: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:36 pm

    Wys jou maar net hoe inaccurate die media reports is. Vrydag aand na die game report Kobus Wiese dat dit lyk asof Kuun se toer verby is. 4 dae later en hy is reg?
    As die injuries maar net so vinnig vir AP en Mossie kon verby gaan, dan het die Lions dalk nie met ‘n soveelste wooden spoon gedobbel nie.

  • 37.shooter: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:37 pm

    29. if WO does 250 things right, consecutively, he may be a rugby player one day. besides having no confidence, he’s got no clue. He should go and join Marius Joubert and ressurect his career while there’s still something. Or he’s facing a career threatening hamstring injury.

  • 38.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:38 pm

    You busy this weekend……………….damn that sounded woes skeef…….to play ruggas I mean

  • 39.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:39 pm

    shooter

    I am Lions supporter, but my best buddy plays for the Bulls, so loyalty is divede between the two!

  • 40.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:39 pm

    Saturday was WO’s best game in ages. FL must not bring JP Nel back into the starting line up. Replace Kirschner with Mongweni. If only the Bulls had signed Shimange last season as hooker. Now Kuun has injured his ribs and they are in kak for a replacement.

  • 41.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:39 pm

    #39 Pompa

    I hope your best buddy is not Wynand

  • 42.shooter: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:40 pm

    pompa, ja just having a stupid dig. I thought you were a lion :)

  • 43.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:40 pm

    #39 Who is your buddy Pompa?

    We might as well take to the field with 14 players. We getting used to it by now. A 15th player might only get in the way..

  • 44.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:41 pm

    pauld

    No THANK HEAVEN for that!!!

  • 45.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:42 pm

    #44 Pompa

    Must be that meathead JP Nel then ?

  • 46.shooter: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:42 pm

    hello kwagga, game geniet?

  • 47.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:42 pm

    Kwagga

    Jong ek weet nie of ek sy naam moet noem nie, daar gaan BAIE vra wees as ek dit doen!

  • 48.Loosehead: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:43 pm

    :lol: Kwagga

  • 49.KingPaul: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:43 pm

    Ek hoop Kuun toer saam met die Bulls. Wil graag sien hoe word hy hard gemoer deur Mealamu!!

  • 50.asha1: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 15:43 pm

    jp nel is my hero! :shock:

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