Vic backs Irish duo
24 Apr 2009
Victor Matfield believes Ian McGeechan will select the Irish lock pairing for the Lions Tests in June.
Barring injury, captain Paul O’Connell is certain of playing, with either countryman Donncha O’Callaghan, Alun-Wyn Jones, Simon Shaw or Nathan Hines locking the scrum alongside him.
Jones and O’Callaghan are viewed as the likely options due to their prowess in the air, while Matfield believes the latter will be the front-runner at the start of the tour due to his familiarity with his Munster team-mate. That Irish and Munster hooker Jerry Flannery is the favourite for the No 2 jersey, further validates Matfield’s view.
‘I think they’ll definitely go with the Irish pairing,’ Matfield told keo.co.za. ‘They know each other and they’ve been awesome for Ireland for a while now. They complement each other’s styles really well.’
Matfield also didn’t discard the surprise selection of 36-year-old Simon Shaw for the squad. Matfield said Shaw has made it a habit of performing on the biggest stage.
‘I think he did a very good job for England in the World Cup in 2007,’ said Matfield. ‘He’s very much a Bakkies [Botha] type of lock. I think he’s very physical, he’s a big guy who really gets stuck into mauls and rucks, not a bad selection at all. But if he’s still got the legs, I don’t know.’
The Lions haven’t selected many lineout specialists, preferring for the enforcer option, and for this reason English flanker Tom Croft’s omission was surprising. Matfield believes England’s inconsistent form, as well as Croft not being first-choice on numerous occasions, counted against him.
‘The English players didn’t have a great Six Nations and the Irish and Welsh did the best in the matches that counted. They have the most guys selected and that was down to their form,’ said the Bok lock.
The Bok scrum had a few hiccups on the year-end tour, but Matfield believes the set-piece wobbles were down to injuries. He said if the Bok front-row that started against Wales of Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and John Smit starts, the Boks will be able to negotiate the Lions at scrum-time.
Matfield couldn’t highlight which options they would choose in this area.
‘The English props [Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery] have been strong, while their scrum has always been solid - even if the team hasn’t been great their pack has done well. If you look back at the World Cup, they destroyed a team like Australia and that’s how they got to the final.
‘We all know the Welsh props [Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones], they are probably a bit more mobile and very good with ball in hand. Then you include Euan Murray and they’ve got some interesting options to pick from for their first choice props.’
By Grant Ball
48 Comments
24 Apr 2009, 00:21 am
Huh?
24 Apr 2009, 00:22 am
Vic is now a Lions selector?
24 Apr 2009, 03:48 am
Rent a quote Matfield
24 Apr 2009, 04:09 am
#3 Disa:
Not in the same league as Rent-A-Quote Erasmus…or Rent-A-Quote Coetzee…or Rent-A-Quote Jean de Villiers, for that matter, you’d have to concede, Disa?
24 Apr 2009, 04:14 am
#2 TheTackler:
Seems like an easy prediction
I can tsee English or welsh lock starting ahead of Irish pair.
Morning boys or evening here
24 Apr 2009, 04:16 am
Bulls Chiefs game should be a great game, if bulls can keep up with chiefs
24 Apr 2009, 06:19 am
#4 Joe Maher: true
24 Apr 2009, 06:21 am
#4 Joe Maher: You can add Krige and Kempson to that list as well i suppose
24 Apr 2009, 06:29 am
Hi Disa
24 Apr 2009, 07:35 am
So Vic just named all of their props without saying who he thinks will start.
Brilliant!!
24 Apr 2009, 07:54 am
#1 TheTackler:
So the good old song “Pop corn, chewing gum……” “Ag daddy how we miss, N…….ls and liqourice” I think the Eskimo pie is minor.
24 Apr 2009, 08:14 am
#11 kyer: The owner of the “-balls”, just before the liquorice, in that particular ditty remains a bit controversial…
Eskimo Pie is, indeed, minor.
24 Apr 2009, 08:15 am
Mshiniwami… mshiniwami… mshiniwami… mshiniwami…
Now, where is that rusty old machine gun? What we gonna do with it now?
24 Apr 2009, 08:21 am
#4 Joe Maher:
naah
anyone paying erasmus, coetzee or jean for quotes must be
either out of their minds
or
just plain stupid!
everyone knows the mentioned guys used the “progress” word from game 1
…
and
stuck to their guns!!
24 Apr 2009, 08:23 am
Jones’s suggestion irks Div
2009-04-23
By Stephen Nell – Die Burger
Cape Town – Ruan Pienaar will be South Africa’s goalkicker in the Test series against the British and Irish Lions.
That was the message on Thursday from Springbok coach Peter de Villiers, who was asked about the idea of bringing Percy Montgomery out of retirement for the looming series.
Former Wallaby coach Eddie Jones told Sport24 this week that South Africa should consider asking Montgomery to come out of retirement.
“I can’t understand how a top rugby brain says that,” De Villiers said in his reaction.
“Why is Naas Botha not playing anymore? There is a time to come and a time to go for everyone. I have too much respect for Percy to pick him.
“I can see when a player’s best days are behind him. I’m not going to break down Percy’s image and have people say he should not have been there.
“Percy has not played badly this year. He is just no longer good enough to take us to the next level.
“I pick Ruan (at flyhalf) because he has so many dimensions to his game. One of his attributes is that he can kick and he is really good at that.”
Pienaar kicked well on South Africa’s end-of-season tour and De Villiers believes that was the result of hard work prior to their departure.
“I trust the people around me. If Ruan’s goalkicking is not good enough I will drop him. He has to do the job. That is what he is paid for!”
De Villiers believes Pienaar’s natural talent will help bring the best out of South Africa’s backline. “Ruan is a gifted rugby player. I view him as the Tiger Woods of rugby,” said De Villiers.
“It’s important for him to have the freedom to express himself. If we show confidence him, I think our outside backs will have a chance of penetrating.”
24 Apr 2009, 08:25 am
Thankfully Mc didn’t take JW and Smal along with them… perhaps their downfall…
24 Apr 2009, 08:25 am
#6 CoachPete:
hmmm
i still have to post my prediction for that game on superbru
problem is
…
for this whole bloody season,
almost everytime i went against the bulls … they’ve won
and when i backed them, they’ve lost
…
mind says bulls …. gut says chiefs!
hmmmm
24 Apr 2009, 08:26 am
Percy’s days as an international player are over.
The problem is that Jantjes is not even playing as well as Percy is at the moment.
Hopefully Snor hasn’t been snoozing when the Sharks have been playing. Terblanche is currently leagues ahead of the next best fullback in SA.
24 Apr 2009, 08:27 am
#15 Spooner:
Tiger Woods of rugby?
Okay!!
24 Apr 2009, 08:30 am
#18 Spooner:
I’m not so sure if PDV even watches S14, he will play the same side as last year, except for players that went north, and injuries.
24 Apr 2009, 08:31 am
#18 Spooner:
maybe you should turn the commentary off (or very soft, at least) when watching rugby?
….
agree … stefan is playing very well at the moment
but
is he really that far ahead of everyone else?
24 Apr 2009, 08:31 am
it must be so rewarding to be a journalist on keo, you have one interview with victor matfield, but you can break it up into multiple threads where you selectively quote different parts of the interview…when did victor become the guru on northern hemisphere rugby? Now he knows what satellite-eared mcgeechan is thinking…surely you could find other credible sources to predict what the lions’ management is thinking…
24 Apr 2009, 08:34 am
#20 Snoek:
naaah
you’ve got the coaches mixed up
…
but you’re right … there was a coach somewhere in our past who didnt watch s14 rugby
hmmmmmmmm…. what was it that he said about fetchers again?
24 Apr 2009, 08:34 am
#22 Transformation: For once I agree with you.
24 Apr 2009, 08:34 am
can the real stormers please pitch up today?
i really would like a bit of cheer.
24 Apr 2009, 08:37 am
#25 rangerman:
but
they’ve been playing for the past 4 weeks!
didnt you watch those games?
24 Apr 2009, 08:41 am
#22 Transformation: vic played falnk there until he missed home, it was slightly longer than a bulls s14 tour
24 Apr 2009, 08:44 am
#18 Spooner: i don’t know about ”leagues” but louis ludik has beem proficient this year too & stefan kicks too much ball aways aimlessly…
24 Apr 2009, 08:45 am
#4 Joe Maher: But Vic definitely in a better Win-A-Game league then the bunch of wankers you mention….
24 Apr 2009, 08:45 am
#23 Ashley:
Actually the previous coach also persisted with out of form players from time to time. 49-0 comes to mind.
I say play your form players every game, you might notice that the class players will anyway rise to the top and keep it there.
Get rid of the deadwood like Burger, Januarie, Jantjes, Steyn and make them work for their places again.
I believe in concistency in collection, but if you are not playing well concistently, you need to go.
OH, add Habana to that list. Nokwe is twice the player at the moment.
24 Apr 2009, 08:46 am
#26 Ashley:
now dont be mean asha1, rassie said they are working on things…….
24 Apr 2009, 08:50 am
#30 Snoek: Lovely suggestion and in the process we can hand out Springbok jerseys like lollipops.
Take us right back to the pre-JW era.
24 Apr 2009, 08:51 am
#27 rangerman: ranger, he played flank @ a then second division toulon! Hardly the guiness premiership or the heineken cup! A couple of months there & he’s got mcgeechan figured out huh?
24 Apr 2009, 08:58 am
#32 Bul-a Bhloo:
Who do you think was the best inside centre in SA this year?
I think it was Olivier, should he play for the bokke this year?
No not according to you! He must wait until JDV decides to quit rugby, move north or are injured.
That is why we get our asses whiped by NZ more often than not. We select players out of form, and hope they regain form in the Bok jersey.
I for one would like to see the boks win every game they play. And to do that, the best possible team must play every test.
Please don’t confuse a form player as a player that had one good game or moment. Look at the season in whole.
24 Apr 2009, 08:59 am
#33 Transformation: i know man, he also came back 10 yards off the pace.
but what can he do?
journo: vic tell me your thinking on the lions tour?
Vic: uhm, well, uh, i have no cooking clue!
next days headline: Victor Matfield Clueless About How to Combat Lions!!!!!!!
rock, hard place?
24 Apr 2009, 09:02 am
#34 Snoek: i agree with you snoek.
i think maybe the JW “consistency” mantra can be a little overplayed and form (consistent form) should have a part to play also.
a balancing act?
24 Apr 2009, 09:04 am
#36 rangerman:
Howzit sexy.
Thank goodness I’m at work and don’t have to watch the Stormers.
24 Apr 2009, 09:05 am
#34 Snoek: Barring retirements and injuries go with the existing squad.
Those players not performing must be told they are in danger of losing their position and coaching must put in a special effort to help the incumbent.
Mesiekind has been very good but Jean has done nothing to lose his place.
Why are you accepting that we will lose simply by standing by our existing players – Schalk, Adi, Butch and so on.
24 Apr 2009, 09:07 am
#37 Dawn: Don’t worry we will keep you FULLY informed.
24 Apr 2009, 09:07 am
#37 Dawn: lucky you.
i am a ********* and cleared a meeting to make way for some rugby this morning.
i backed the landers on superbru though so my bets are hedged
24 Apr 2009, 09:10 am
#35 rangerman: best post of the day so far.
#36 rangerman: second best post of the day so far.
Sound reasoning.
24 Apr 2009, 09:12 am
#38 Bul-a Bhloo:
I’m not saying we will lose, but why settle for good if you can have great. Can you imagine how good schalk would become if we drop him because of bad form?
There are to many boks giving average performances week in and week out because they know they will not be dropped out of the boks setup.
We always say to the kiwis that we have more talented players than them, but why are they not playing for the boks?
24 Apr 2009, 09:14 am
#41 Spooner:
i am still calm before the storm(ers).
24 Apr 2009, 09:17 am
#36 rangerman: my thing is ranger, why not ask ricky januarie then, what he thinks of the lions’ tour? Matfield is no more qualified to crystal-ball gaze as schalk burger or danie russouw are…When victor can’t choose which prop combination the satellited eared one will select, he still comes across like he doesn’t ”have a cooking clue”…lol
24 Apr 2009, 09:26 am
#44 Transformation: well, vic has been stand-in captain and is probably very approachable.
and no offence intended to ricky but mate, seriously, have you heard him speak? *** me you need a translator (read member of a numbers gang) and then a translator for the translator (read commnunity social worker) just to understand the significance of all the head bobbing and weaving.
just as ricky should not be asked, i think FdP is probably the most wooden interviewee in history. i keep looking for the string
but hey, maybe it could be refreshing! ask frans steyn and ricky to give us a play by play analysis of the last weekends rugby and have a genital shocker for every time they say “uuuh”.
viewing gold.
24 Apr 2009, 09:32 am
#45 rangerman: ha ha ha ha ha ha lmbao…post of the week!! No contest….funny man this ranger guy!! Thanks bud…
24 Apr 2009, 09:35 am
#46 Transformation:
cheers man, happy times to all y’all!!
24 Apr 2009, 09:35 am
Good morning all
(I promise I wont talk about that family restaurant today)
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