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

Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 » Show All

  • 101.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:18 pm

    Hou daarvan om myself te vestig en vir lang innings te bat. Net nie die bat oppie grond slaan nie………

  • 102.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:18 pm

    Kwagga

    As die picth kraak moet jy net op die regte plekke boul!

  • 103.Steyn The Disgusted Bull: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:19 pm

    Kwagga,

    As daai pitch nog blink….is die WAX nog daar…..

    Hello mense!!

    Net kom in loer moet nou weer gaan……jissie dink ek is nou lus om bietjie te gaan bat!!

  • 104.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:19 pm

    #102 bwahahahaha. Dis hoekom mens moet kante ruil!!!!

  • 105.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:20 pm

    #99 Kwagga

    As dit gebeur dan moet jy van die paweljoen kant af begin boul

  • 106.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:20 pm

    Op die 5de dag is daai kraak baie groot…….onspeelbaar!!!!

  • 107.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:20 pm

    #130 Hallo Steyntjie!!

    Jou bat goed ge-olie?

  • 108.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:21 pm

    #105 Vertrou myself nie om kante te ruil nie. Het al op n snoeker tafel pienk gemik en bruin gesink……..

  • 109.Steyn The Disgusted Bull: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:21 pm

    Kwagga my oog is so in…ek vat sommer die putter!!!…..hehehehe

  • 110.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:21 pm

    Manne ek jaag nou huistoe om te gaan “kolf/boul”
    Cheers praat weer more.

  • 111.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:22 pm

    Maar die bal se naat is ook dan al sag……..nie lekker grip nie….

  • 112.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:22 pm

    #106 k9

    op die 5de dag dan moet jy shane warne se sideways slider begin boul om die beste uit daardie wye kraake te kry

  • 113.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:23 pm

    #cheers pompa

    #111 verander die grip en konsentreer op stadigge balle

  • 114.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:24 pm

    Pauld

    Ek verkies die googly. Kom hoog in en skiet laag en vinnig deur…..

  • 115.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:24 pm

    Al wat ek se is boul die krake raak!

  • 116.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:24 pm

    #112 Goeie heupe in die boulaksie dan haal jy die beste uit n dooie blad uit..

  • 117.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:24 pm

    Pompa

    Moenie te vinnig probeer boul nie. Lyn en lengte!!!!

  • 118.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:25 pm

    #114 K9

    Moenie die chinaman vergeet nie. I like chinese , they only come up to your knees , they will muffdive you with ease etc

  • 119.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:25 pm

    #116 Haaaaahahahahaha

  • 120.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:27 pm

    Kort balle maak nie saak as jy goeie lengte het nie..

  • 121.asha1: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:27 pm

    England coach Brian Ashton has been forced to do the unthinkable – drop one of rugby’s most famous names, Jonny Wilkinson.

  • 122.pompa: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:27 pm

    K9

    Sorry ons jonges dink dit gaan oor spoed, maar jy moet nogsteeds die pitch hard slaan met n bietjie swaai!!

  • 123.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:29 pm

    Like swingers fukol……

  • 124.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:29 pm

    #122 Pimpa

    Smaak my jy’s n international bowler. Boul orals op die pitch

  • 125.asha1: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:29 pm

    hey, ouens. het enigeen van julle die e-mail adres van die boots & all span?

  • 126.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:30 pm

    boots@superrugby.co.za

  • 127.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:30 pm

    Pompa

    Bounce hom van ‘n goeie lengte af…..selfs op ‘n dooie en droë pitch….

  • 128.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:32 pm

    Nee ooo magtig laat ek my fotos en my lemoene vat. Die pitch gaan rol. Voel hier kom n groot game!!

    Cheers pompa K9 Pauld.

  • 129.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:32 pm

    Kwagga

    Pitch hom net buite die wegpen en swing hom in…..

  • 130.K9_BaasPatrolliehond: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:33 pm

    Cheers Kwagga…..pasop vir ‘n rugbesering.

  • 131.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:34 pm

    #128 Sonie speel ek maar weer teen myself…….

  • 132.wez: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:36 pm

    Bloody hell, los die site vir 20 minute en dan is daar oor die 80 hits!
    Toe ke begin lees toe besef ek heokom die site so populer is.

    Ek is nie baie populer nie, want ek lag kliphard in die kantoor en steur die ander.

    Ai tog, die kolfblad is darem interessant, moet hom eers goed uitkyk voordat jy besluit wat jy gaan doen.

  • 133.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:44 pm

    Keo kan bly wees hy het nie n krieket site nie. Ons sal vir hom uitboul net die Fopbal. Regby , effens tru

  • 134.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:44 pm

    2.00m 115kg flanker :D

    shades of FC Smit

  • 135.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:46 pm

    #134 G13G

    But a lot quicker. FC only had 2 speeds. Dead slow and stop. Even that skinny runt from the Free State managed to tackle him in 1991 at the OVS stadium. Brian something

  • 136.ruck: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:53 pm

    I JUST ****** HATE IT WHEN MEN BOWL WIDES AND NO BALLS…….

  • 137.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:53 pm

    yes yes..but great back of lineout man old FC

    that streaker still banned from CT? :D

  • 138.ruck: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:54 pm

    #136 – Or they just can’t HIT the blessed stumps.

  • 139.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:54 pm

    #136 Ruck

    Been a while. Where you been ? Practicing your batting on a flat pitch ?

  • 140.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:55 pm

    #139 Ruck

    The forward defensive position.

  • 141.cab: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:55 pm

    yeah that steaker made a grreat tackle, piet van zyl wasn’t that mobile either, esp after AJ had given him a short one…

  • 142.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:56 pm

    #141 Cab

    Yes that fat ignoramous was an embarassment

  • 143.cab: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 16:57 pm

    lol Pauld…no-one knew what was cutting.
    i still cant underertand how mchugh dilocated his shoulder, piet the ‘boep’ didn’t seem to do much?

  • 144.wp_boytjie: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:00 pm

    Mccaw also klapped Piet Van Zyl!

  • 145.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:00 pm

    You must love old Piet Van Zyl tho:

    “Don’t forget that the incident happened when the referee closed his one eye and ceased to see the Springboks. I am therefore not sorry that I did what I did. If he, the referee, didn’t do what he did that incident would not have happened.”

    Causes an international sporting incident yet remains completely unrepentant. We are a THICK skinned bunched … he, he, he

  • 146.ruck: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:00 pm

    #139 – Harassing Bully boys up north…arrived back in cultured Europe/CT late last night…

  • 147.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:01 pm

    If it does not work properly, refs included, i moer it! :-)

  • 148.ruck: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:03 pm

    Pauld: I prefer an attacking batsman personally. One that plays BRAVE CRICKET…the term coined by Tricky Micky.

  • 149.pauld: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:03 pm

    #143 Cab

    I think McHugh got such a fright when he saw that Zeppelin headed his way that he dislocated his shoulder when he recolied at the sight of Vet Piet

  • 150.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    11 Mar 2008, 17:03 pm

    Tribute vir Piet van Zyl
    Verskoon net die Brits vir hierie een.

    POEM BY PIET

    It was just the other Saturday and I was screaming in the stand
    when the bladdy stupid referee went and lifted up his hand
    “another penalty” he said “and yet again against the boks”
    and something in my mind just snapped like the elastic in my jocks.

    Piet Potch I said, ou boet you just can’t let this go
    someones gotta get out there and kill the flippin ou.
    I stumbled to the field vision blurred with all the dop
    I fell clear over the advert board and landed on my kop.

    No-one even checked me, no-one saw me coming
    and then before I knew it I was up and running.
    Now remember boet, a wing I was when I still played the game
    and when I hit my sprinting stride it still felt all the same.

    The crowd they went ballistic, I was sure it was just for me
    forgotten were the injuries, even the shaky knee.
    The ref he was still blowing, the fools hand up in the air
    when I rounded past the scrum and lined him up from there.

    I hit him like a whirlwind, all boep and balls and grit.
    and down went the Irishman, that ugly little sh*t.
    I heard him scream and whimper and even heard him cry
    and then that bladdy kiwi lock went and hit me in the eye.

    Corne was there too and I thought he’d come and help
    and whip the bladdy Kiwi and make the bugger yelp.
    but no, they went and left me to the mercy of the guards
    and the jail and the courts, the whole nine yards.

    would I do it again, you bet your broek I would
    and so should you okes, you really really should
    Coz the bokke are the bokke and no ref is ever ever fair
    and they better just be careful to check that I’m not there

Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 » Show All

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

Have your say

You must be logged in to post a comment.