Matfield the Master
13 Jun 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day newspaper rugby column, lauds Victor Matfield’s mastery of Andries Bekker and the Stormers.
The occasion demanded Andries Bekker to peel away just a bit of the Victor Matfield aura, but as with the Super Rugby final of 2010 it was the veteran Matfield who simply added to his aura. He remains the best lineout specialist and strategist South Africa has produced and his performance in the 19-16 win against the Stormers at Newlands provides the comfort that Matfield still has the strength of mind and physical capacity to be influential and dominant at this year’s Rugby World Cup.
There were whispers on the eve of the match that Bekker was injured and would not play. The Stormers management denied this but if there was no injury to Bekker before the game then there definitely was to him afterwards – and I am talking about those psychological scars that are a lot more lasting than any physical beating.
Bekker’s performance was always going to be critical to a Stormers victory, but the player who has stood tallest all season had to be content with an evening in the shadow of the master Matfield. It was another reminder that Bekker, for all the potential to be better than Matfield, has not yet delivered in those big moments. Until he does he hasn’t earned the right to be spoken of internationally in the same breath.
The wind conditions at Newlands were testing but the reason the Stormers lost three of their first six lineout balls had more to do with the presence of Matfield than the weather.
The Bulls deserved the win because they played the better finals type rugby and made fewer mistakes. The Stormers fumbled their way through the first 70 minutes and some of the basic handling errors were embarrassing for players at this level.
The defence on both sides was effective and the Stormers were marginally more creative in attack, but the Stormers could not replicate the aggression they showed against the Sharks a month ago.
The match had the traditional South African-derby brutality but as a spectacle it failed to deliver to a capacity Newlands crowd, whose doubts about the Stormers this morning will be justified.
There will be similar questions around the Bulls ability to win away from home in a one-off situation should they be required to travel to Australia or New Zealand for a match against the Reds or Crusaders.
The attacking efficiency from both sides at Newlands was substandard. The Bulls scored from a Stormers lineout mistake and the Stormers scored with two minutes to go and could have had a match-winner with the last movement of the game had Bryan Habana shown the express pace of four years ago to beat the cover defence.
Creatively this match offered nothing for the first 75 minutes as South Africa’s two best teams hammered away at each other. It was all too predictable and from a Cape perspective so too was the result because once again the Stormers lost a match they were favourites to win and once again every doubt resurfaced about the championship capabilities of the Cape-based side, who have lost to the Reds, Crusaders and Bulls at Newlands this season.
Those excusing the Stormers defeat will seek comfort in the Stormers going so close despite having to select their fourth-choice flyhalf because of injuries.
But this was a Bulls team missing Bakkies Botha and Fourie du Preez. Come on, there can be no excuse for the Capetonians.
The Stormers, in securing the bonus point, claimed the South African Conference but they can’t claim the bragging rights of being a cut above the rest of the South African teams and the visit to Bloemfontein has the potential for more questions than answers.
The Sharks and Bulls will determine their own play-off destiny when they front each other in this Saturday’s final league match and everything now favours a home team win and Sharks play-off elimination.
The Sharks decline over the last six weeks has been gradual and a more composed opponent would have humiliated them in Johannesburg. The Lions led 30-9 after 55 minutes, lost Butch James to the sin-bin in the last quarter and were defending their line at 30-all.
I don’t know which would have been worse for Lions coach John Mitchell … to get stuffed or to stuff it up like this?
James, up until his yellow card, had played splendidly at flyhalf and like with Matfield at Newlands the Bok veteran definitely can make a contribution to South Africa’s World Cup success.
398 Comments
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13 Jun 2011, 13:15 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-97:
Nope. If the Bulls win, the Tahs can’t overtake them, even if the Tahs get a bonuspoint. Cause then they will be equal on the log, but the Bulls have won an extra game, so they will top the Tahs on the log.
13 Jun 2011, 13:16 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-98: I have learned from the last couple of years that this is the best possible scenario for the Sharks. It has the a greater galvanizing effect on them than anything Plumtree or any other sports psychologist can say or do.
13 Jun 2011, 13:17 pm
@Valkyrie(Valkyrie)-100:
But the Sharks might just… Because they did pretty well against a Saders team firing on all cylinders in London, and the Saders seem to be misfiring a bit lately compared to those early games.
SBW especially seems to have been found out.
13 Jun 2011, 13:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-84:
the waratahs lost out 2 years ago to the crusaders yet the tahs had more wins. agg got the better of them.
13 Jun 2011, 13:18 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-104:
That rule has now changed.
13 Jun 2011, 13:18 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-102:
Stormers lost the game in the loosies and 9 & 10 combo.
Sharks need to front up there, and they will have a chance.
13 Jun 2011, 13:20 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-106:
And in the front row, where the Bulls seemed to dominate – both at scrumtime and in general play.
Kaplan’s weird interpretations notwhitstanding, Greyling was piling the pressure on his opposite number at scrumtime.
13 Jun 2011, 13:20 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-104: Didn’t the Waratahs lose out last year because the Bulls sent a second string side to play the Stormers in the final league game ?
It would be a weird kind of justice if the Waratahs make it into the playoffs at the Bulls expense this year…..
13 Jun 2011, 13:20 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-98: if i am correct i remember the sharks beating the bulls at loftus playing with 14 men for nearly 60 minutes a few seasons back.loftus doesn’t have any hold over the sharks and i am quietly confident that there might be a wailing and gnashing of teeth come saturday night in danville.
13 Jun 2011, 13:21 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-101:
winning an extra game does not position a team higher if there is an aggregate difference.
13 Jun 2011, 13:21 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-104: Oh, now I remember. The Tahs didn’t lose out, but they did lose out on a home semi-final……now I remember……:-)
13 Jun 2011, 13:21 pm
So the Bulls vs Sharks game has virtually turned into a “last 16″ knock out game. 6 weeks ago, I would have hoped the Bulls silent the nauseating HG and his band of followers, but now the Bulls fans that had disappeared have come back and I would love for them to be snotklapped and silenced for good.
I really don’t know who I hate the most between these two teams.
13 Jun 2011, 13:22 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-107:
I did not see any video of the game yet, but it seemed live that scrums was a lottery.
I know a number of scrum calls came from the touchie as I saw them communicate.
Sharks front row is one area I don’t think there is any concern, locks possibly especially if Sykes is ruled out, but loosies is where they will need to front up big time.
13 Jun 2011, 13:22 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-110: Yes it does. This year it does. The first consideration is number of games won. Go take a look at the log. Bulls and Sharks on equal points, and then take a look at the points difference – Sharks have a better points difference – so, how come the Bulls are 5th and Sharks are 6th ?
This IS how it works this year. First number of games won, and then points difference.
13 Jun 2011, 13:23 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-112:
don’t worry.
nobody gives a tinker’s toss who you hate.
13 Jun 2011, 13:23 pm
@Valkyrie(Valkyrie)-109:
Must you get into the usual trash talk before the game?
The truth is, no one knows how the teams are going to perform on Saturday. I learned that lesson after the whoopass encounter at Kings Park last year.
It is much better to let the other team’s supporters have it AFTER the game, than shooting your mouth of beforehand but getting handed some humblepie afterwards.
Like what’s happening to all the sour Stormers supporters today.
13 Jun 2011, 13:23 pm
@Valkyrie(Valkyrie)-109:
My mantra has always been that Moftus is a home game for The Sharks.
13 Jun 2011, 13:24 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-110:
It changed mate.
Most wins counts ahead of points difference this year.
13 Jun 2011, 13:24 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-111: The Tahs lost out to a blinding side step from JdJ, just ask Wales about that side step as well……..
13 Jun 2011, 13:24 pm
Burger is the wrong captain for Stormers.
Being a keen Bulls fan I enjoyed the resuly however as a Bok supporter I was worried to see Habana get burned by the cover when in the past he would have scored.
Hopefully he does some speed traing before the WC.
The Sharks and Lions game was way more entertaining and i wish the Boks would make use of Mitchell in preperations for the WC. He has taught his guys something about offloading in the tackle and then finding space through tight defences – not sure how he is doing it but its great to watch.
Another two guys the Boks should consider utilising are Droske and Berndan Venter.
13 Jun 2011, 13:25 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-112: Come now – isn’t ‘hate’ a bit of a strong word.
Incidentally, I don’t hate the Stormers but their fans are the sorriest, most unsporting group I have ever come across. I am very pleased I don’t support a team that has fans who have to resort to booing their opposition like a bunch of unruly 10 year olds. Pathetic !
13 Jun 2011, 13:25 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-116:
Hey the Stormers loss did wonders for my Superbru! Especially in a weekend with two bloody draws.
13 Jun 2011, 13:26 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-117: true.sharks supporters normally packs out loftus.
13 Jun 2011, 13:26 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-112:
Yeah, some Bulls fans might actually have better things to do with their lives and only come on here when it gets to the business end of the comp where the chokers and pretenders are exposed like on Saturday.
13 Jun 2011, 13:26 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-113:
Let me refresh your memory.
Greyling slips his bind fleetingly and gets penalised immediately.
Blaauw or Brok or whoever scrums against him goes to ground three times in a row, but Kaplan decides to reset the scrum each time cause they supposedly “slipped”.
I never once saw the Stormers push the Bulls back, but the Bulls had a few monster scrums that had th Stormers backpeddling like Lance Armstrong after an injection of unconfirmed liquids.
13 Jun 2011, 13:27 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-119: No – the Tahs lost out because the Bulls sent a schoolboy team to Newlands. I know Stormers fans wont acknowledge that, because they are so desperate for affirmation they could spit their false teeth out, but that’s a fact. Stormers beat a 2nd or 3rd string Bulls side last year in the Super 14.
13 Jun 2011, 13:27 pm
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-115: just saying……
13 Jun 2011, 13:28 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-112:
How can you hate people you have never met?
Some would call your comment bigoted…
13 Jun 2011, 13:28 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-101:
let’s hope your bulls win because them shorks will be playing for a win!
the bulls can’t put a second string side this year and them bulls need to be put to pasture….some of them. there will be hammering each other this weekend, next weekend then may have to fly the weekend after.
the crunch games are in rsa if the the reds, tahs and crusaders win this weekend. this weekend will show where bok rugby is.
if you are a bulls fan…good luck.
13 Jun 2011, 13:28 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-125:
Gary Botha had a strong game for me, it will be interesting to see if Ludeke continues with his two-game policy rotation with him and Chili…
13 Jun 2011, 13:29 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-129:
My hope is on the Highlanders upsetting the mentally fragile Blues, thus giving the Bulls a home quarterfinal.
13 Jun 2011, 13:29 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-129: Let me tell you, if there is one team in this entire tournament than can win this thing after sneaking into the playoffs in 5th or 6th position, its the Bulls.
13 Jun 2011, 13:30 pm
I hate iPad auto correction!
13 Jun 2011, 13:30 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-112: again its your type of arrogance why the stormers supporters are disliked so much
and you think the bulls or sharks care that you hate them ?? want a ton of tissues to whipe the snot??
i am glad the bulls gave you guys a snot klap , even though it was not good for my own team
you guys carried on in here like the bulls did not have a hope in hell last week
well they had you fooled
13 Jun 2011, 13:30 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-131: Not impossible. I think there is a greater chance of the Highlanders beating the Blues than the Brumbies beating the Waratahs.
13 Jun 2011, 13:30 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-121:
S’true. Was saying to some mates the other day that I never knew just how cringeworthy South Africans could be when it comes to rugby support.
There are supporters and then there are dooses.
13 Jun 2011, 13:32 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-127:
its a shame when people make generalisations.
if you are not careful I will talk to your boss and get you put on the back of the bakkie with the pondoland bulls fans and the mozambiquans.
I will also have you removed from the guest list at ZAR.
13 Jun 2011, 13:32 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-131: @PissAnt(PissAnt)-130: hiyas PA you well mate??
hiyas tacci ltnc , lol welcome back
and congrats , whilst you were gone , i told these okes the bulls should not be written off , they will be back with a bang, well just look
13 Jun 2011, 13:34 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-136: Even Bob Skinstad, the biggest turncoat Stormers supporter ever said that it was pathetic.
Maybe they were trying to cheer Morne Steyn on, but ‘boooo’ is the sound that comes out when you have no teeth in your mouth ?
13 Jun 2011, 13:34 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-132:
maybe last year in loftus….not in NZ or aus. not after a humdinger this weekend and then a humdinger the weekend after….a flight….then another humdinger.
but the tahs could lose!
13 Jun 2011, 13:35 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-139: mate the booing is not just at Newlands though , its a problem at all our stadia
13 Jun 2011, 13:35 pm
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-124: I’m sure like how Loftus was becoming empty and emptier midway through the competition.
13 Jun 2011, 13:35 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-130: if the sharks start with bissy then botha and chilly will be in for a long saturday.no more taking candy from children scenario for them this saturday.
13 Jun 2011, 13:36 pm
The Stormers have never had what is took to win big games. They won’t win this year either.
My money is on the Bulls for a final position. Whether they will win it again is up to them.
13 Jun 2011, 13:36 pm
@Train(Train)-120: Quite right about the Lions – they looked like the Saders in the first half , they played some beautiful rugby and it does show that South Africans do have the ability to offload in the tackle !!!! I hope Mitchell does get the support of the Lions union because it is about time that Transvaal return to the heights of the rugby elite – that sort of rugby will get the crowds back !!!!
13 Jun 2011, 13:36 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-140: I know it unlikely, that’s not what I am saying. I am saying, if I had to choose a South African team to try do it, I would choose the Bulls.
13 Jun 2011, 13:37 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-138:
All good.
13 Jun 2011, 13:38 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-141: Its by far the worst at Newlands. And wasn’t it at Newlands that a bunch of idiots continued to make a noise while they were trying to have a moments silence for the victims of the Christchuch earthquake ?
Pathetic. Honestly, I feel embarrassed to be South African.
13 Jun 2011, 13:39 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-138:
Picking the Bulls this week saw me make up some vital log positions on the official Stormers Superbru pool!
13 Jun 2011, 13:39 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-146:
all good
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