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, 10:11 am
If Vic comes back, Pieter de Villiers won’t have to look north to fill his team.
With the exception of John Smit, the entire Bok squad can (and should) then come from SA based players. (The jury is still out on whether Butch or Grant should play at 10). And if Smitty is the only foreigner in the squad it might make him think twice about staying in France – a bit weird if only the captain doesn’t play in SA.
Percy doesn’t have more than a season left, so now is an ideal time for de Villiers to establish a new fullback with an eye on the next WC. Enter Conrad Jantjes. Or even Francois Steyn. We’re lucky to have two great options here.
Even if Bakkies leaves, we don’t need to pursue him too boldly. Andries Bekker is a future star in the second row.
I think our game is in a very healthy state and I think it will be great reward for our local based players if the entire team plays their rugby here, even when the coach is allowed to select from abroad.
6 May 2008, 10:16 am
#47 Crickey
I smoke rugby wisdom. Chilliboy was never really tested at senior level.
Maku played in the 2006 for the U-21 side, coached by PDV
Maku played in 2007 in the emerging bok side coached by PDV
To me that does not look temporary.
Further the lenth of Maku 1.87 and weight 111 Kg Chilli is only 1.79 and 100 kg.
My bet is on Maku. It is only time when he will replace Kuun
6 May 2008, 10:28 am
he cant be worse that Kuun… and he sounds like quite a sizeable fellow…
let the bugger play then damnit!!
6 May 2008, 10:33 am
Perhaps the threat by the Bok coach to pick only 3 players based
overseas hastened Matfield’s return
6 May 2008, 10:35 am
#53 crikey_mate_did you see that shark:
He is injured, Chiliboy started one VodaCup game the beginning of the season and he went down again…..knee problem, I recall.
6 May 2008, 10:38 am
#51 katman:
Kicking off early today Kat?
6 May 2008, 10:39 am
Hey, anyone know what happened to the “Tigers Stalk Muir” article that was up this morning and has now mysteriously vanished…?
6 May 2008, 10:39 am
Its a feel good story this one. Respect Victor!
6 May 2008, 10:40 am
Kwensie, Roets may not have been a superstar, but one thing about him was that he played with pride. Even Oily le Roux respected Roets. And that says something because Oily is a piece of ****.
6 May 2008, 10:41 am
#30 kwensie: Aha, now that is sense speaking there, I totally agree
6 May 2008, 10:42 am
#57 stavros:
It is up again, but the other thread has now disappeared!
6 May 2008, 10:44 am
#61 Pietman:
thanks got it. where there is smoke there is…
6 May 2008, 10:44 am
#59 BlueBlood: In 2 weeks from now people will be saying Roets who?
6 May 2008, 10:44 am
Tue, 06 May 2008 09:15
Legendary All Black hooker Sean Fitzpatrick has blasted the Lions, and specifically Earl Rose, after their dismal Super 14 showing against the Hurricanes last weekend.
Fitzpatrick watched the Hurricanes hammer the Lions in Wellington at the weekend and launched a savage attack on the South African players.
“It’s pretty disappointing to see the Lions perform like this,” Fitzpatrick told Independent Newspaper’s Peter Bills.
“Those guys should be handing back their pay cheques after that performance.
“We always used to fear the old Transvaal when we went there and played them – more so than any other province. So it’s pretty disappointing to see them like this. It was a poor performance,” he said bluntly.
Fitzpatrick reserved special criticism for Lions fullback Earl Rose, who had a shocking game.
His suicidal run from behind his own try-line and subsequent hospital pass to Joe van Niekerk which was stolen from the No.8 by Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore for a try, summed up Rose’s day.
Fitzpatrick’s summary of the hapless Rose was less than complementary.
“Poor old Earl Rose. He looked like he got his pay cheque from the Hurricanes,” joked Fitzpatrick.
But the Lions weren’t the only team experience the wrath of Fitzpatrick.
The Highlanders, who won only their second game of the competition against the Cheetahs last Friday, had not impressed the former All Black skipper in the least.
“It doesn’t look as though they’re good enough,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem as though the players are there for a fifth New Zealand provincial team,” he concluded.
6 May 2008, 10:45 am
#49 Pietman: Pietman, I think it was a premature announcement of the Bok management/coaching team
They missed out on keeping Sheryl Calder
6 May 2008, 10:47 am
Bulls supporters
Am I optimistic in predicting a 23 point win on Friday?
6 May 2008, 10:47 am
Fitzy….lend me your ear….
JOHAN ROUX
6 May 2008, 10:47 am
#67 Manlybok:
6 May 2008, 10:53 am
#65 JL1:
Yes, JL, must be. I started to read and then it just vanished before my eyes, possibly because of Muir not having signed yet.
6 May 2008, 11:23 am
#64 THE MAULER: no 8)
6 May 2008, 11:27 am
#63 JL1: Roets who?
6 May 2008, 11:28 am
#51 katman: yes I think thats fair enough.
Bismarck has been in outstanding form. My first choice is Butch, but Peter Grant has had a great season too. Its a refreshingly open-minded approach to allow the coach full freedom in selection (if this is in fact the case), if he has preference for local players then the players overseas cannot complain. one thing tho, we are thin at no 4, there is no-one close to a committed bakkies imo, becker is a 5.
6 May 2008, 11:41 am
Matfield should go @#$% himself and get it over with. He was the first to publicly state that he would support any new coach after Jake White, thinking that it can’t be anybody else than Heineke Meyer, and him as captain instead of John Smit. He was as quiet as a klei os se gat when it was announced to be Pieter de Villiers and he promptly @$#% of to France.
Now he is coming back and think the rest will “follow”. He never in his life will be as good a captain or leader as John Smit. It is only bakkies and gary botha who follows him like stupid puppies.
Matfield is always the first to try and use the press as a tool to back stab others and glorify himself.
He is the best lock, and would be a better leader if he shuts up.
6 May 2008, 11:45 am
#72 cab: I don’t agree that a player like Bekker can’t play alongside a player like Matfield. The roles are less defined than, say, a fetcher flank vs a ball carrier flank. And with the new rules opening the game up, two athletes like Bekker and Matfield are worth their considerable weight in gold. It’s everyone’s task to still remain aggressive at the breakdown, but mobility becomes even more important.
6 May 2008, 12:15 pm
5 – Andries Bekker (Stormers):
People can now stop calling him ‘the son of former Province star Hennie Bekker’ or ‘one of the most promising locks’ in South Africa. He has arrived in all his glory and deserves a look-in at the Springbok team … he IS Andries Bekker!
yet again he makes the super14 team of the week
matfield must have read a few articles…..
6 May 2008, 12:36 pm
is the exodus of players up north to blame here??
SEAN FITZPATRICK SLAMS S14
The South African sides also came in for severe criticism from the man who won 92 test caps from 1986 to 1997 and easily holds the record for the most tests as All Blacks captain, 51.
Fitzpatrick watched the Lions’ 38-12 hammering by the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend and launched a savage attack on the South African players.
He said: “It’s pretty disappointing to see the Lions perform like this. Those guys should be handing back their pay cheques after this performance.
“We always used to fear the old Transvaal when we went there and played them. More so, in fact, than any other province. So it’s pretty disappointing to see them like this. It was a poor performance.”
6 May 2008, 12:40 pm
#75 Super WP,
Bekker Junior lacks the mongrel of his old man..Please do not compare him to Bakkies or Victor..they are world’s apart
thank you.
6 May 2008, 12:42 pm
#77
he does not have the expierience that vic/bak have YET,,,so you cant compare them,lets just wait till the end of 2009,
did you see the tackles he made on sat?? his got mongrel
6 May 2008, 12:43 pm
#77 greatest13gerber:
Are you back here spewing your bile again.
Bakkies and Victor. Is your whole world blue once more.
There are other players you know.
6 May 2008, 12:45 pm
#77 greatest13gerber: Bekker is playing far better rugby than Bakkies. And none of us really know how well Matfield is playing right now.
Thank you.
6 May 2008, 12:45 pm
Katman,
wouldn’t there be a language barrier if Bekker and Victor play together???
although Moolman and Burger Snr were good together
6 May 2008, 12:47 pm
#77 greatest13gerber:
Thank you.
6 May 2008, 12:47 pm
#81 greatest13gerber: Probably. Most of what Bekker says would fly straight over Vic’s head.
6 May 2008, 12:48 pm
greatest13
Are you really a security guard?
6 May 2008, 12:50 pm
#84 Dawn: Apprentice security guard.
Thank you.
6 May 2008, 12:51 pm
#85 katman:
Thank you
6 May 2008, 12:54 pm
#77 greatest13gerber: Vic has mongrel?????? Please….he is a jolly jumper and a utility back.
6 May 2008, 12:56 pm
And a cover boy model complete with moody French look and tasteful red sweater.
6 May 2008, 12:57 pm
Thank you
6 May 2008, 12:59 pm
vic has to have stubble to make him look tough. ever seen him without stubble?
6 May 2008, 12:59 pm
sorry
thank you
6 May 2008, 13:05 pm
#90 the peanut gallery: Meisiekind likes it.
6 May 2008, 13:07 pm
#76 greatest13gerber: the boy knows his stuff. Most within that team are nowhere near the required level yet. Can’t be argued because it shows in the results. Building maybe? But not on a solid foundation from where I’m sitting.
6 May 2008, 13:08 pm
Tassies
You forgot “thank you”.
6 May 2008, 13:10 pm
dankie Dawn
6 May 2008, 13:11 pm
and its back to work after that 1 min lunch
chat later
6 May 2008, 13:14 pm
The issue isn’t how good Bekker is – my issue is that he is the same player as Matfield – probably a better defender but oviously less effective in the lineout. Bekker needs Fondse to be his Bakkies (and Fondse is crazy underrated – he does all the dirty work). I think Matfield would be a great mentor for Bekker.
6 May 2008, 13:20 pm
brando agree 100%
bekker and fondse will one day take over from vic/bak, maybe sooner than later,
6 May 2008, 13:23 pm
#98 superstormer:
Now that’s a big joke!!
Thank you
6 May 2008, 13:27 pm
#98 Superstormer – I agree just maybe better if later rather than sooner… Vic and Bakkies are still the real deal, just nice to know we’re covered for the future and nice to know the Stormers are back and I dont have to deal with Bulls and Sharkies running their mouths disrespecting the greatest union in SA.
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