Matfield’s magnetic pull
6 May 2008
Victor Matfield believes a number of elite Springboks could follow his lead and return to play in South Africa in the near future.
Matfield, who joined French second division club Toulon in December 2007, decided to take advantage of a release clause in his contract that came into effect after six months, and rejoin the Bulls. Matfield was one of six World Cup Springboks to take up lucrative European offers after the showpiece event in France in 2007.
Matfield, speaking to keo.co.za from Toulon, said his decision to return to South Africa was heavily influenced by his view that his chances of playing for the Springboks would improve significantly if he was “in the system”. He added that in his discussions with other Springboks it had become clear that many now hold similar views.
“I spoke to Percy [Montgomery] recently and he said he was very keen to come back to South Africa at some stage in the near future. He definitely still wants to play for the Boks,” Matfield said, citing just one such example.
“There are a couple of other guys from the World Cup squad who are in the same situation because they feel it would best serve their chances of playing for the Boks. But that’s a decision they’ll make when the time is right for them. I realised shortly after I got here that I may have made the move a couple of years too early. I still had ambitions with the Bulls and the Springboks and thankfully I’ve got another chance to have a crack at achieving those now.
“I knew that the Bok selectors would be able to follow my progress on television if we gained promotion to the Top 14 [Toulon are currently three points clear at the top of the table with five matches remaining in their season] but it made sense for me to be playing within the South African structures where I could test myself against the best players and in what in my opinion is the best tournament in the world [the Super 14]. I also want to play a mentorship role to youngsters coming through at the Bulls. Other Boks realise the value in that and there are those who are contemplating their futures.”
Matfield said the Springboks’ form in 2008 will be a massive influence on whether elite Europe-based Springboks returned to South Africa. “Everyone wants to be part of a winning team and a winning culture, so if the Boks are going well I think it will be difficult for the guys who were part of that [World Cup] squad but miss out [in 2008] to just be content and stay in Europe.”
Matfield, who also had big money offers from Top 14 clubs Toulouse and Montpellier, as well as Premiership-bound Northampton, revealed that his former Bulls coach, Heyneke Meyer, had been influential in his decision to return to South Africa.
When Meyer applied for the job of Springbok coach he asked Matfield to play in South Africa if he got the job, arguing that it was critical that the country retained it’s best players – of which he said Matfield was the finest. Matfield agreed to the request, but when the South African Rugby Union pushed the election date back to January 9, Matfield could no longer honour his promise as he was contractually obligated to be in Toulon by the start of that month.
“Heyneke stills holds the view that the country’s best players should be playing in South Africa despite not having got the [Springbok] job,” Matfield said. “That played a big part in my decision because I respect him and his views a lot. He also spoke about family values, both with my immediate family and the Bulls family, and how it was important to look after their interests as well as mine. Toulouse was a very appealing option to me because of the style of rugby that they play and the fact that they would offer me the opportunity to play in the Heineken Cup, so I was really considering them seriously.
“But at the end of the day what Heyneke said made sense to me, and that made a difficult decision a little easier.”
The 30-year-old said he met with millionaire Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal last week to discuss his departure. Boudjellal was disappointed to lose him but said he supported whatever decision he made. Matfield said Boudjellal had not sought to keep him in Toulon with an improved contract offer, and also rejected reports that their relationship had been strained during his time at the club.
“I’ll leave on good terms. Those reports are completely false,” he said. “I even spoke to him at length about some of my ideas about how we could improve certain facets of the club and the team. This is a special team with special supporters and if they are promoted to the Top 14 a couple of elite players will join, which will be superb for the club and the city. I’ll do my best to get us there because I want to repay their loyalty in some way.”
The Bulls tied Matfield down to a three-year deal which, he said, will see him end his playing career in Pretoria. Asked why he had eliminated his chances of playing oversees again Matfield explained that he wanted security in his contract and also spoke of his desire to stay involved at the franchise in a coaching capacity once his contract expires.
Matfield was adamant that the union have the structures and calibre of players to be a force in Super Rugby and on the domestic scene in future.
“The fact that they are struggling was a big part of the reason why I wanted to go back,” he said in response to question of why he would return to a union who are besieged by a number of on and off field troubles. “I think I can play a part in turning that situation around.”
By Ryan Vrede
143 Comments
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6 May 2008, 07:03 am
mmmmmmmm……….dragons
6 May 2008, 07:04 am
Nup – nothing to do with the lure of the springboks. It too cold to braai up there, and the pap and koeksisters are just not the same….
6 May 2008, 07:05 am
Matfield and Bakkies – wine and cheese – one just isnt good enough without the other
6 May 2008, 07:05 am
I think that we will see the end of FL and the reappointment of the DRAGON Meyer at the end of the S14.
6 May 2008, 07:05 am
Monty’s leaving France cause he’s too doff to learn the language
6 May 2008, 07:05 am
The grass is not always greener on the other side
6 May 2008, 07:06 am
Big Vic, on the otherhand………out of his comfort zone perhaps?
6 May 2008, 07:07 am
#4 Loosehead: If not then the Bulls are fu$%#ing dumb and deserve what they get – dreadful season for the “champs”
6 May 2008, 07:18 am
A flurry and then vokall…….dead today………….outaya
6 May 2008, 07:26 am
Wow Heyneke Meyer has a lot of influence on him
6 May 2008, 07:30 am
Vic, you shouldn’t be coming back.
And, you haven’t played under the new ELVs yet, so what if you totally suck at it and become just another ordinary player? You could miss out on being a Bok altogether and everything was a huge waste of time.
6 May 2008, 07:38 am
morning boys. Hey whatever, with those muscles he’ll bop you one china. Monty must have learnt about the maurading Haniball in his history classes in that place below Forries. He’ll take a leaf and bring his elephants down to Auckies and donner you for that sleight.
6 May 2008, 07:40 am
#11 BlueBlood: more Blue. don’t share your concern. ELV’s aren’t the big deal they were at the beginning of the season. Even the plodding Bulls are adapting in their own little way.
6 May 2008, 07:42 am
#9 whatever: but you right on that one. Like Maitland cemetary here this morning.
6 May 2008, 07:54 am
Wether he stays there or not. the ELV’s are going global anyway so he has to get used to them. ELV’s don’t affect the lineout and that is where he earns his keep.
6 May 2008, 07:54 am
Matfield’s crazy. Should take more time over-there, get out of his comfort zone, pick up a few foreign diseases (maybe some Bolivian ones) and think of more things to do between line-outs while the pressures off. And he can earn Euro’s. Bulls problems are deeper than coach Some genius think tank made that decision-must have been more than one decision maker to be that succesful at f…. up all that was good last season in first three games (somehow genius, think tank and Bulls seems a contradiction of terms this year).
6 May 2008, 07:55 am
I wonder what the bulls will pay Matfield for the next three years.
6 May 2008, 07:58 am
Has anyone told Matfield that FL is now the Bulls coach?
6 May 2008, 08:03 am
Meyer should become a player agent
Now Vic and Bakkies are the perfect ELV’s combination
6 May 2008, 08:05 am
#17 Snoek: Bakkies salary =3 locks
Big Vic salary = 3 locks and a flanker
6 May 2008, 08:09 am
# 20JL1
Big Vic salary also = Opposition line-out ball = possession = pressure on opposition set pieces = goooood value for money
6 May 2008, 08:25 am
Now I know why our team is called the Stormers.
Yeesh!
6 May 2008, 08:32 am
Tassies, the thing is that PDV knows what he has in the locks playing ELVs at the moment but all he knows about Vic is what Vic has done under the old laws.
Besides, after the absolute disgrace and humiliation of the Bulls S14 no Bulls players deserves a Bok jersey; even the ones playing overseas who didn’t play in the S14. The utter patheticness reaches that far.I wish every day that the S14 is finished. I can not bare this burden. The disgrace is too much.
PDV must rather pick Stormers and Sharks players for the Boks this year.
6 May 2008, 08:34 am
What happened to the Wingmen thread??
6 May 2008, 08:35 am
Look at how good A Bekker is now, amagine with a int. season with Matfield! Amagine a matfield but just taller. I am getting goose bumps. And Kershner or Jantjes with Monty, and Grant with Butch and Brits with Smit!!! If the old boks can teach the youngsters, we will have a succesor Bok team to 2007 wc winners!!!!!
6 May 2008, 08:36 am
Victor your words are music to mine ears
6 May 2008, 08:39 am
What is with everyone rating Kirchner, he is average
6 May 2008, 08:40 am
reckon it’ll take a couple of years before anything happens for the bulls again! watch, 2010 – bulls will make the final… maybe even next year if the whole contract saga blows over!
6 May 2008, 08:47 am
The big mistake most people make is that form is not the critical criteria to select a player. Form can disappear in the next game a player plays. The critical criteria is the ability of the player as well as the strategy and game plan.
In SA rugby color of the skin will be a criteria as well.
6 May 2008, 08:53 am
JL1
We as Bulls supporters rate Kirchner because we got so used to having an average fullback in Roets. Zane is definitely a huge improvement on Roetsie.
6 May 2008, 08:54 am
If guys like Matfield and John Smit struggle to adapt, I can’t believe that Bakkies will fit in better.
No offence to him but Matfield and Smit seem more, how can one say, worldly, and Bakkies is as Afrikaans as boerewors and Mrs. Balls
6 May 2008, 08:56 am
#28 offsides: In the same way some folk seem to rate Adrian Jacobs….equally average.
It’s strange to see a grown man (Matfield) following so blindly what another says (Meyer).
And what’s up with Bulls coach/player/fans using the words “structures” and “family values” all the time?
6 May 2008, 08:57 am
#30 Kwensie
I find it difficult to believe what you said.
I am no Bull fan and wasn’t a Roets fan either, but he was solid and was a common link during the previous good years you had.
One missed catch cost you a CC but otherwise he was Mr consistency and had very few bad games.
His retirement hurt the Bulls almost as much as Matfield leaving
6 May 2008, 09:05 am
daniel
The problem with Roetsie’s consistency was that he became so predictable. It was always an up and under when he got the ball and I must admit on a few occasions he even took his own up and under but nothing much came of it. I also saw him missing a few crucial tackles on numerous occasions.
6 May 2008, 09:06 am
#30 kwensie: Gaan praat kaak oor Roets op `n ander plek!
6 May 2008, 09:08 am
Kwensie
The fact was he was solid and consistent in a team that operated like a machine.
I hate having to admit this, but they played damn well and he was perfect in that team environment.
Kirchner scored one winning try in the VC Cup against the Bulls and he gets to play S14.
The Bulls slipped up by not grooming another fullback during the Roets years and they have been caught out for it
6 May 2008, 09:08 am
You need a squad of 30/35 if you want to be competitive all year round. Wales is so much weaker after losing 3 key player due to injury. Having Bekker and Matfield is such a security.
One player PDV need to look is Gavin Hume who play fly half: born in 1980, 187cm for 104 kgs……..he is having a great season………and sure the French national team will fetch him soon…….Cliff Mitton also need to be secured from Soth Africa.
6 May 2008, 09:11 am
matfield the magnet…
can just see tannie dawn having an ****** right about now he he…
i am sure he will help the bulls, sheit knows they need it… but moer importantly i think it is great that he values a springbok jersey that much that he forfeits some pounds…
6 May 2008, 09:13 am
4teen
Ek het niks teen Roetsie nie maar ek verkies Kirchner. Op hierdie stadium het hy geen Bok gehalte nie maar ek sien potensiaal …….meer potensiaal as wat ek ooit by Roets gesien het.
6 May 2008, 09:17 am
i saw a funny thing in the sunday papers…
those gauteng based reportes had on average 4 lions and some bulls in theirs S14 form team… what a load of sheit! i mean spies ahead of kanko, ludik ahead of jantjies, watson in the team?! … i want some of what they are smoking!
6 May 2008, 09:21 am
#40
Crickey
Those teams are going to be PdV’s worst enemy.
Remember how they stirred by never having Smit in their teams while knowing that he was the captain.
Every province has their bias and it will always stay the same.
6 May 2008, 09:28 am
What happened to the ‘De Villiers wings thread’?
I was about to read it, and then it disappeared…
6 May 2008, 09:29 am
surely when you look at a possible bok team your allegiances dwindle… i mean you can have your personal preferences if it is a close call but mostly there is a player head above another in this year’s S14.
6 May 2008, 09:31 am
To those who reckons that no player of the Bulls will be selected or deserve to be selected:
When a national team/squad is selected there is usually one or two surprises. I try to identify those players I reckon might be surprises. On of them is Bandise Maku of the Bulls. His biggest shortcoming is experience, and that can be managed by the coach.
6 May 2008, 09:36 am
How do you say “BLYMOEDIGE VERWAGTINGLOOSHEID” in good english and/or french. Its happening in South Africa since early times. A school boy stops playing rugby whe he leaves school, why? Because there is no fan base anymore. No hysterical teenagers screaming when the team runs on he field. No blushing maidens when he leaves the change rooms. The “elite” boks left South Africa with “blymoedige verwagtingloosheid” only to be part of the crowd. No flag waving fanatics next to the field, no hero worship next to it. They left on a high, getting of the double decker bus with their wifes, girlfriends etc. They got on a plane and arrived alone. Now they are comming back with “Blymoedige verwagtingloosheid”. Hoping that again the fans will wave the flags. That lesser men will stand aside to give them back their places in their teams. Vacate their seats in the change rooms. The only meaningfull english way to describe “blymoedige verwagtingloosheid” can be the feeling a 24+ handicap golfer has on the first tee, with strong wind and water in front of him. When he lines up to play the shot, he has a feeling of “blymoedige verwagtingloosheid”. So does every rugby fan in South Africa …
6 May 2008, 09:36 am
I personally believe players should be judged on what they have done while playing for the Boks as well, hence guys like Fourie and Spies should not be discarded because of a failed S14.
Form is temporary but class is permanent.
I am however concerned by the Bulls players under Ludeke. If they play inconsistent because Meyer is not there, then I hope the same doesn’t happen at the Boks with White not there
6 May 2008, 09:45 am
dweeper, what are you smoking?! he is just a temp replacement until chillieboy takes his spot and moves whats his face at nr at the moment to the bench…
i agree daniel but Kankowski has been great for the last 2/3 seasons and really deserves a spot, if we still have spies on the bench, hell arent we lucky!
as for fdp, the great of last year has been well below double bogey never mind par… i like him and as little as i like ricky, one cant argue the difference in their quality this season… even wilkinson had to make way for some you kiddo and hopefully it will just motivate him to come back stronger…
6 May 2008, 09:48 am
#47
Agreed, but imagine Fourie under Rassie in a happy camp without the burden of captaincy.
The Bulls should keep Wikus as captain because it definately affected Fouries play this year.
Kanko was rewarded last year and to me he is still the incumbent.
6 May 2008, 09:54 am
#24 JL1:
O, ok, I am not going cuckoos then, there was such a thread, I only saw it momentarily.
Pity it is gone, looked interesting.
6 May 2008, 09:56 am
#47 crikey_mate_did you see that shark:
I have forgotten what Chiliboy looks like!
Wonder if PdeV still remembers him.
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