Get inside Big Vic’s head
29 Sep 2009
Victor Matfield is the undisputed lineout king, but what gives him the edge over his opponents?
Click here to subscribe (12 issues for R199)
In the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, Eddie Jones and Gary Gold provide unique insight into Matfield’s ‘sixth sense’ at the lineout, while the player himself explains exactly what he does when the ball’s about to be thrown in.
Matfield also talks openly about his insatiable hunger for success, why playing 100 Tests for the Boks would mean so much to him, fears that the Boks are peaking too soon before the 2011 World Cup and his coaching ambitions.
Also in the new issue of SA Rugby magazine:
– The key to the Springboks’ Tri-Nations triumph
– Big Debate: Should John Smit be playing tighthead prop for the Boks? Robbie Kempson says yes, Ollie le Roux says no …
– Why Juan Smith is irreplaceable
– The departure of Frans Steyn has left Peter de Villiers with a selection headache at fullback. Percy Montgomery and André Joubert rate the leading candidates for the position
– South African club rugby continues to be plagued by violent incidents involving players, coaches and spectators. One man, though, believes his relaunched initiative will effectively tackle the problem
– How Dawie Theron has reignited the belief at Griquas
– Sharks centre Waylon Murray on his injury nightmare, getting back into the Springbok set-up, and his future plans
– When Harlequins were caught faking a blood injury during a European Cup match last season, it resulted in a record £259 000 fine for the club, a three-year ban for their director of rugby, and a four-month ban for the player involved. SA Rugby magazine finds out exactly what happened and what the implications of ‘Bloodgate’ are for the game in England
– It’s as though he’s never been away. Never shattered that Achilles tendon. Never had to fight his way back through six months of hard slog just to run up and down a rugby field again. it’s the latest remarkable feat in the career of Dan Carter
– Once the most hated rugby player in South Africa, Clyde Rathbone recently quit the game after a long injury battle. He explains his decision, reflects on the highs and lows of his career, and rates the current Springboks
PLUS: Six of the best match-altering tackles (and all of them legal)
212 Comments
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27 Sep 2009, 09:58 am
for me Vic the most nb player to nurse through to 2011….
27 Sep 2009, 10:16 am
Victor Matfield bloody well hypnotises all his opponents to completely lose focus, surely? Phenomenally good lock forward.
Right up there with all the absolute all-time grand legends of that mighty second-row engine-room like Colin Meads, Frik du Preez, Willie-John McBride, Gordon Brown, Tiny Naude, John Eales and Martin Johnson.
No doubt about it.
27 Sep 2009, 10:19 am
#2 TheTackler: Jeepers are you feeling well??
Temperature perhaps???
Cant believe the praising of a Bok??
Go sit down lad….you feeling faint??
27 Sep 2009, 10:36 am
#2 TheTackler: And Mark Andrews, Louis Moolman, etc.
27 Sep 2009, 10:50 am
I always call it like I see it, regardless of nation, creed or colour.
The Taj Mahal is arguably the most aesthetically perfectly-formed building on earth while the Voortrekker Monument is probably not.
Toyota build far, far infinitely better cars than any of the German lux big-three, MB, BMW and Audi-VW-Skoda
Stuff like that.
27 Sep 2009, 11:01 am
Big Vic uses those caterpillars above his eyes to signal Bismarck and to hypnotise the opposition. You have to love him though
27 Sep 2009, 11:59 am
would have been nice for the cover to show Vic lifting the 3N trophy.
27 Sep 2009, 12:05 pm
after Steyn Ludik has to be the next best 15 in the land.
27 Sep 2009, 12:08 pm
Met him on Friday when I went to purchase tickets at Loftus. Great guy. Phenomanol rugby player.
27 Sep 2009, 12:27 pm
It’s amazing how the 5min subs always manage to worm their way into the centre of every “victory picture” !
27 Sep 2009, 12:57 pm
Ollie le Roux also said he wouldn’t have brought back John Smit and Victor Matfield from overseas after the world cup.
Anything he says, I take with a handful of salt… Unless he was talking about where to find the best burger in town.
27 Sep 2009, 14:28 pm
#8. I think so too. The thought of seeing the torpedo garyowen again disturbs me!
27 Sep 2009, 14:48 pm
#8 RedLion:
We’re not that short of 15s, are we?
27 Sep 2009, 16:41 pm
#5 TheTackler: Sorry to hear that you drive a Corolla. Didn’t think people admit that type of thing in public.
27 Sep 2009, 16:42 pm
#10, amazes me as well. For example ricky january carrying the match ball like it was his own in the last 3N match v NZ i mean come now… And sorry to say, ollie le roux is a legend prop for sharks and all but umm, for someone with less than half of either Matfield or Smit’s caps to say something like that just sounds suspect
27 Sep 2009, 16:43 pm
#10 The_Green_Machine_is_a_Mean_Machine: Those 5min subs are strategically placed in victory pics.
27 Sep 2009, 16:46 pm
Forgive me, the most capped springbok sub at 43 caps (on bench) and played for stormers and cheetahs. His argument holds no bearing
27 Sep 2009, 18:40 pm
The Bokke, have a good season, can they do it for the next 3 0r 4?
27 Sep 2009, 18:46 pm
I must say rathbone’s choice must seem very bitter sweet, had he taken JW’s offer i think his career might have had a very different bent to it. Could have been a great springbok winger, imagine he and Habana on each side, frightening.
27 Sep 2009, 18:48 pm
fabien juries try this weekend was unbelievable. tackling was bad in that game tho.
27 Sep 2009, 18:49 pm
#19 cab:
He made a decision that was far more important than rugby, he didn’t want to live behind a six foot wall and a 9mm under his pillow, silly I know.
27 Sep 2009, 18:57 pm
Had a run-in with Vic a couple of years back, more or less the same time Jake sent him home too.
I was not directly involved but I witnessed his attitude towards a fan. At that stage he may have been too big for his massive boots, but Vic is no doubt one of the greatest lock forwards in modern rugby and we will find it hard to replace him one day.
Seems to have matured tremendously.
Go Vic, stay with us till 2011.
27 Sep 2009, 19:05 pm
#22 PissAnt: Boks will be like the ‘Dad’s army’ by the time they get to the next WC – not too dissimilar to the English when they won in 2003.
27 Sep 2009, 19:10 pm
#21 NZINCHINA:
yip that might well have been his reason, but the alternative was greatness, Springbok greatness, with the talent he had, i would’ve kicked myself.
27 Sep 2009, 19:11 pm
#23 kwas:
So what are you saying they’ll probably win it?
27 Sep 2009, 19:13 pm
#24 cab:
That was the reason, and he probably would have had the medal, don’t know the guy does he seem worried about it?
27 Sep 2009, 19:13 pm
#22 PissAnt:
yeah i’m no great fan either, but who knows perhaps his arrogance is just a cover, def undisputed lineout king tho, and i reckon he has no problem with that.
Bakkies would be the bigger loss imo, Becker could always replace matfield.
27 Sep 2009, 19:14 pm
#27 cab:
He dominated this year which is fantastic, in the last 3 or 4 was he that dominant?
27 Sep 2009, 19:15 pm
With respect NZ had no second row this year.
27 Sep 2009, 19:16 pm
Certainly not SA’s problem but he wasn’t up against much this year, has to be a fair comment.
27 Sep 2009, 19:19 pm
#28 NZINCHINA:
yes imo he was, i doubt there had ever been such a good lineout jumper, and i am not keen on the guy’s personality.
27 Sep 2009, 19:20 pm
#31 cab:
So from 05 to o8′ he dominated the AB lineout?
27 Sep 2009, 19:21 pm
#30 NZINCHINA:
thats true but imo he’s been beating the nz lineout and others for a while now, even with williams there. it was always the aspect we’ve shaded nz over the last 2-3 years, the difference this year is that imo we’ve actually exceeded the ABs intensity and committment at the b/dm which has not been usually done before.
27 Sep 2009, 19:22 pm
#27 cab:
Was never a big fan, but this guy demands respect.
#29 NZINCHINA:
I think SA will struggle to replace a Bakkies more than a Vic for some reason.
We have some promising locks in SA I must say.
27 Sep 2009, 19:22 pm
#29 NZINCHINA: Would be good to see Ali back next season. Some competition for Big Vic. Mind you, problem more at hooker for the Blacks. Absolutely useless at throw inns.
27 Sep 2009, 19:23 pm
#32 NZINCHINA:
Let’s put it this way…
The Vic/Bakkies combo was seldom dominated.
27 Sep 2009, 19:23 pm
#32 NZINCHINA:
imo, he’s given the nz lineout an absolute hiding in the last 3 years 2006-2009.
27 Sep 2009, 19:24 pm
#33 cab:
Happy to concede he was all over us this year, but taking a look at the tapes from the last three years when won the Tri Nations can’t see the dominance you are talking about.
27 Sep 2009, 19:24 pm
#32 NZINCHINA:
Greg Rawlinson…
Now there is someone who talked a great game, but seldom produced.
27 Sep 2009, 19:25 pm
#36 PissAnt:
You might be right but clearly that wasn’t enough the results tell you that.
27 Sep 2009, 19:26 pm
#39 PissAnt:
Journeyman, one of your.
27 Sep 2009, 19:26 pm
#38 NZINCHINA:
Vic can play his game with Bakkies on hand, when we lose either one, the other one is not as effective.
It is a massive bonus they play together for the Bulls too.
In fact, I think the fact that our whole front row plays for the Sharks and the locks for the Bulls is a massive advantage for the Boks.
27 Sep 2009, 19:27 pm
#41 NZINCHINA:
And the headmaster picked him for a couple of tests as soon as Jake mentioned he is looking at him for the Boks…
27 Sep 2009, 19:28 pm
#27 cab:
yeah, bit of a big bok literally, but nevertheless one has to respect his sheer ability lineout time, it is phenomenal. I was actually a big fan before White picked him, and he nearly did not for a long time there. I think SA could potentially have an unbelieable pack in the tightloose if a tighter lock was picked too, so i can def see White;s thinking, but he developed the lineout as the Bok attacking platform. Bakkies and Juan are excellent jumpers too and old Spies is also 6ft 5 or something, not many places for the oppo to hide on the throw. can also get alot of momentum of back of lineout.
27 Sep 2009, 19:28 pm
#40 NZINCHINA:
You guys get Chris Jack and Ali back, you will be sorted.
27 Sep 2009, 19:29 pm
#45 PissAnt:
Jack has the brain, and Ali the mongrel.
27 Sep 2009, 19:30 pm
#42 PissAnt:
Best lock combo in the world but to date for the Bulls itS yielded very little silverware,
27 Sep 2009, 19:30 pm
sorry, last one meant for PA at 34.
27 Sep 2009, 19:31 pm
#47 NZINCHINA:
They basically dominated the Currie Cup scene since 2005, plus 2 Super 14 titles…
I reckon they have plenty silverware.
27 Sep 2009, 19:32 pm
#48 cab:
Yeah Jake had his head screwed on right to get confidence back in the Bok side. No doubt.
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