Matfield boosted by Botha’s return
15 Jun 2010
Victor Matfield says he won’t change his approach to captaincy when leading his country and is looking forward to having Bakkies Botha alongside him once again.
The world’s most famous lock pairing, who’ve played together in 54 Tests for the Springboks, will re-unite for the first time since Botha started against the Sharks. That was seven weeks ago and Botha only lasted 40 minutes due to a lack of match fitness after an Achilles injury, but the pair know each other so well that shouldn’t provide problems.
‘I might have to chat with him throughout the game,’ said Matfield with a laugh. ‘Danie’s been in great form and that shows the unbelievable depth we have at the moment. Bakkies has been out for a while, so he’s excited, but also nervous.’
Danie Rossouw’s form has been a revelation, but if Botha reaches peak fitness, he is crucial to the Boks. His value at the scrum is also under-rated and will be imperative against the strong-scrummaging Azzurri on Saturday.
Botha has missed the Boks’ last three Tests and last ran out for the green and gold against the self-same Italians in Udine last November. In his most recent match against the Stormers he lost focus and looked intent on physically maiming his opponents, but Matfield is confident he’ll exhibit the controlled aggression that makes him one of the most feared forwards in the game.
‘Hopefully Bakkies has learnt his lesson,’ Matfield said of Botha’s four-week suspension. ‘There’s always a fine line when it comes to that stuff, but his job is to intimidate the opposition, and that’s what he must do.’
Matfield plays his best rugby when he has a bruiser such as Botha or Roussouw alongside, but in Witbank on Saturday Botha is unlikely to complete the entire 80 minutes as he hasn’t played in five weeks. Alistair Hargreaves will come off the bench for his second cap, and was preferred to Flip van der Merwe.
When asked whether Van der Merwe should have been given another chance off the bench after having little time to impress, De Villiers said he has no problem playing Matfield and Hargreaves together.
‘We don’t want to get sentimental about decisions,’ said the Bok coach. ‘Victor schooled Andries Bekker into the lock he is today, and we want him to do the same with Alistair. Then we’ll have three quality No 5 locks who make life difficult for hookers at the lineouts.
‘It was a difficult decision not to pick Flip, but there’s thinking behind the process.’
Turning his attention to leading the Boks for the 11th time in his 95th Test, Matfield said his approach won’t be different to the typical Bok blueprint.
‘It’s always nice to lead your country in a Test,’ he said. ‘It’s good to work closely with John Smit and it won’t change much.
‘Personally, I’ll lead the same way as I do at the Bulls. I am who I am, and I won’t do anything different. It will be the same as if John was here as we always have a group of leaders. The same guys will make their calls and do their jobs, I’ll just run out first.’
By Grant Ball, in Witbank
45 Comments
15 Jun 2010, 15:06 pm
Matfield should have been on the couch with a beer in his hand.
15 Jun 2010, 15:08 pm
Good luck Victor!
15 Jun 2010, 15:25 pm
Komaan Bakkies – hou kop en speel die bal – nie die man nie!
15 Jun 2010, 15:29 pm
“We don’t want to get sentimental about decisions,’ said the Bok coach.”
yeah, you get MENTAL instead!
Pfft! Hargreaves.
15 Jun 2010, 15:33 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-4: mental!
Skitterend chirp daai! 
15 Jun 2010, 15:44 pm
Sit down coz Victors gonna school ya.
15 Jun 2010, 15:48 pm
I wonder if “Snor” actually thinks we believe this hogwash!
Just imagine how strong we would be if acutally selected teams on merrit in this country!
Chili, Januarie what a joke!
15 Jun 2010, 15:51 pm
Here we go again.
15 Jun 2010, 15:51 pm
95th test hey. by the time the WC starts he would have played around 115 – 125 tests.
15 Jun 2010, 15:58 pm
Hargreaves is an effing no.5 lock. He is not in a Bakkies/Danie/Flip no.4 league.
Growing a beard does not make you tough :/ … Hargreaves will be exposed this weekend
15 Jun 2010, 16:14 pm
@Partizan(Partizan)-10:
actually i heard that bakkies is scared of hargreaves
15 Jun 2010, 16:21 pm
i agree. peter says there were thinking behind the selections. i wonder what type of thinking that was?
15 Jun 2010, 16:24 pm
Where did this Hargreaves chap suddenly pop up from? I wouldn’t recognize him on an identity parade standing next to six dwarfs and a midget.
Who suddenly decided he is a Bok contender? Cause I’ve never seen him do anything worth remembering in provincial rugby.
15 Jun 2010, 16:30 pm
@charo(charo)-11:
Scared he might choke on him?
15 Jun 2010, 16:32 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-13: i agree. but then you coald say the same for flip…..he was merely a back-up for a back-up at the bulls
15 Jun 2010, 16:32 pm
@Mongril(Mongril)-14:
sharp my man
15 Jun 2010, 16:34 pm
“…is looking forward to having Bakkies Botha alongside him once gain.”
15 Jun 2010, 16:44 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-13: hargreaves has along with chilliboy a very similar leadership history to john smit: prominent headboy, age group captain etc.
the success of smit at the helm as a player who can “lead a team comprising of a multiplicity of differing cultures” has meant that his potential successor will be selected through a similar background.
15 Jun 2010, 17:14 pm
SA has so much depth at lock that any of our top 6 locks would make the run on side of any team in the world
15 Jun 2010, 17:18 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-13: uhm taccitus you have never seen any good in any player thats not a bulls player, and thats a fact
heres a good example for you and i have nbo doubt you will argue this fact
after bakkies and matfield , the best locks in sa the past 2 seasons are bekker and sykes
flippie has one good game for the bulls and suddenly you cried for him to be a bok
seriously , you can never be taken seriously
15 Jun 2010, 19:05 pm
Seriously… isn’t Vic due a rest too… I would of had him on the bench… He’ll be f’ckd come 3N…
15 Jun 2010, 19:14 pm
@jocuba(jocuba)-21:
Again, I would love it if someone actually does an informed article on the difference between physical and mental fatigue.
15 Jun 2010, 19:29 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-22: ITaly tests was prime opportunity to have big guns on the bench & the wannabe’s on the field…
15 Jun 2010, 19:41 pm
@jocuba(jocuba)-23:
I struggle to see the logic in statements like that…
In Super 14 which is a provincial competition it is a gamble to rest your so-called front line players against any team, because any team in that competition can beat any other team on the day.
That is 14 teams in the competition.
We are playing a 6 Nations team, one that beat Scotland (who we struggled against not even 8 months ago) and one that lost narrowly to England 2 months ago.
You think they are coming out here with no ambition to win this thing?
And how would that look if we chuck a couple of CC players, with little Super 14 or Bok experienced players into a team and lost a TEST?
This whole year I lauded the Bulls for their policy on introducing youngsters or inexperienced players into their team – well for the last 3 years.
And I kept saying it is not what they do (give guys an opportunity) but how they do it, meaning inbetween a whole bunch of experienced players.
Resting or rotation should be taken as more than just face value.
15 Jun 2010, 19:43 pm
as=at
15 Jun 2010, 19:53 pm
There needs to be a clear benchmark on when to rest players. I cannot see why this is so difficult.
15 Jun 2010, 19:56 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-24: I have to disagree bud.
I really am more interested in taking opportunities to strengthen our depth and test new combinations at teh moment. I hate to lose, but it would not break my heart.
I think we should have rested Victor, Morne , Schalk and many others.
We have enough depth to blood a few more, get them exposed to international pace and pressure.
2011 is next year. And we need to be formidable. Which will require depth.
15. Zane
14. Gio
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Jean De Villiers
11.
10. Morne
9. Ruan
8. Vermulen
7. Flo
6. Potgieter
5. Hargreaves
4.Bakkies
3. Werner Kruger
2. Chili
1. Guthro
16. CJ
17. Gary Botha
18. Flippie
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Rowdy
21. Grant
22. Joe Pietersen
15 Jun 2010, 19:58 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-27: Anyway that’s the team I would pick to play Italy.
15 Jun 2010, 20:00 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-28: Why is no one exciting me at 11 right now beyond Habana?
15 Jun 2010, 20:01 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-27:
It is never ok to lose, I will always disagree with that
15 Jun 2010, 20:05 pm
In addition, I believe you never compromise at test level.
15 Jun 2010, 20:06 pm
I actually find it ironic that in SA rugby we are happy to compromise at test level, but not at lower levels…
15 Jun 2010, 20:18 pm
what really makes me fuming,rabid,off my rocker ,lose my rag mal is when i see butch out of position at 12 and jdv out of position at 13…..ffs man!
Why? It does my head in.
If pdv really wants to give butch an opportunity, at least have the decency to let him showcase his value at his preferred position……
Really very irritating.
Now off to watch soccer…..fark me i am still deforsting from last nite…..but the experience was priceless….what a beautiful stadium!
outta here
sorry about the rant…..but players out of position my absolute hobby horse!
15 Jun 2010, 20:19 pm
defrosting
15 Jun 2010, 20:20 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-30:
Hang on a sec, didn’t you support Jake White when he sent our B team to play NZ in the Tri Nations in 2007?
15 Jun 2010, 20:30 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-35:
Slight difference, I supported his view or reasoning behind it, but I did not support the concept (of putting yourself in a position to lose test matches).
His reasoning was simple, he wanted to win the World Cup.
He was forced to compromise which essentially in my view a national coach should never be subjected to and back then you called me a rugby romantic (or something of the sorts) if memory serves for saying that.
I understood his reasoning, I never supported the call.
PDV’s reasoning in this instance (looking beyond 2011) is slightly different and makes more sense to me.
But I am out for now, food time.
15 Jun 2010, 20:54 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-35: Touche.
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-36: I don’t think that team would lose to Italy either.
15 Jun 2010, 20:56 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-36:
PDV’s reasoning in this sense being not only looking at the World Cup but beyond.
But in essence, a national coach should never be put in a position to have to make a call to compromise.
15 Jun 2010, 20:58 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-37:
Never underestimate you opponents.
There are rules (we should not lose even with a VC team against them) but there are also exceptions to rules…
The price is just too high to pay in taking these sort of risks.
15 Jun 2010, 20:58 pm
Anycase I am calling it a night gents.
Have a goodie.
15 Jun 2010, 21:33 pm
“It was a difficult decision not to pick Flip, but there’s thinking behind the process”
Its easy – the ******* got himself sent off after 2 minutes. If a Bok doesn’t have disciipline, then we dont want him in the team. The Boks are not just about raw power – they are about intellect and mental composure under pressure. Flip showed neither.
15 Jun 2010, 21:53 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-27: Losing to Italy would not break your heart? That would put us in the same bracket as Scotland and Wales. hell, even england (as bad as they are/were) have not lost to Italy. The freaking Maties koshuis side should beat them.
If we lose to Italy I will be livid.
There is experimentatio, but if the experimentation is done so haphazardly that you end up losing to number 10 in tehworld, then you are an idiot.
When blooding new players, you blood them alongside experienced combinations, and allow them to get a feel for what it means to be in a winning culture, in a team where everybody understands the system and trusts each other to do their job. You dont just chuck them in piecemeal (like PdV did last year’s EOYT), with no experienced world class players alongside them, and with no established combinations in critical areas that are used to playing next to each other (like centre combos, back row combos or scrumie/flyhalf combos).
Thankfully Pieter seems to have learnt from that brain **** last year, and is now doing things properly. Slow blooding of players over time, preferably in combinatons, to get the experienced at playing at that level, and alongside experience that can guide them and calm them where required. Not just suybstitutng the whole Bok team with the second choice players. **** that was dumb.
PdV astounds me with his stupidity sometimes, but then impresses me with how quickly he learns from his mistakes.
15 Jun 2010, 22:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-33: Keep in mind that JdV used to play 13, and the times he has played 13 in a Bok jersey, he has been really good in it (I would even go so far as to say better than when he is used at 12). so I am not too worried about that.
I am not so sure about butch at 12 though. His knees make him a little slower thana 12 should be, although his defence is not bad, so he should handle that aspect. Also, I ahave always said that if you have a good 10, you play him at 10 only. You dont dilute their ability to take good instinctual decisions.
Now we play him at 12, and then we get injuries to Morne and Ruaan, and we have a flyhalf that has lost their ability to play at 10. I would say rather replace Ruaan off the bench with James. And FFFS dont play Ruaan at scrumhalf PLEASE! As a coach, if you see him as a flyahlf talent, then back yourself and nurture him that way. And cause trouble for S14 coaches that play him out of position. Again – the abilty to make instinctual FLYHALF decisions must not be toyed with.
16 Jun 2010, 00:21 am
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-42: Shimmie these guys are all Boks. Not inexperienced at all. By time to be blooded.
15. Zane
14. Gio
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Jean De Villiers
11.
10. Morne
9. Ruan
8. Vermulen
7. Flo
6. Potgieter
5. Hargreaves
4.Bakkies
3. Werner Kruger
2. Chili
1. Guthro
16. CJ
17. Gary Botha
18. Flippie
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Rowdy
21. Grant
22. Joe Pietersen
16 Jun 2010, 02:07 am
We don’t need a Bok who can’t keep composure, intellect et al then we don’t need him in the team… Does the Schalk Burger eye incident after 30 seconds into a game after a lengthy lay off ring a bell? (Don’t make excuses for it, there aren’t any feasible ones)
Or how about Schalla’s back chat during the s14 final? Or his kak attitude throughout the game? As a captain he should’ve have the example. Hell I’m glad Flip showed him up in the league fixture.
Flip the ******* as you so eloquently call him is most likely the successor at 4 post 2011. He needs to be moulded into an enforcer.
PS nothing in life is certain, or “easy” as you so simply put it. Your posts reek of omniscience, one helluva irritating trait in any person.
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