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, 14:33 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-198: Luke Smith was a rather good goal kicker, but his kicking out of hand was very poor. Same goes for Sheryll. Luke wore the no10 jersey before Sheryll.
13 Jun 2011, 14:39 pm
@cab(cab)-189: exactly a month and two days ago, keo wrtote that Vic was close to being washed out and had played his “worst game in a decade” against the crusaders, now Vic is the “master” after merely disrupting Stormers lineouts. Keo is a bullshitter! Surely this means if Habana scores a brace of intercept tries after working out for a week with Sheryl Calder then he’ll be back to “Vintage Habana”? mnxim!
let him write something about all his kak picks this year!
http://www.keo.co.za/2011/04/11/bok-icons-fading-fast/
13 Jun 2011, 14:42 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-180: I also think Habana would’ve scored a couple of seasons ago. But one also has to say that Basson is a real speedster. Must also say that Habana tried his best. He looked for work. That is perhaps the problem, he is so desperate to regain his form. I think it will come.
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-192: Who is this kid. That is huge. Especially his weight, hope he doesn’t pick up any more, then no one will be able to lift him.
13 Jun 2011, 14:45 pm
Guys, does anyone know who is the ref for the Cheetah’s vs Stormers game this weekend.
13 Jun 2011, 14:45 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-202: Form is temporary, class is permanent. Great players will lose form, but they will regain it. I believe both Victor and Habana falls in that category.
13 Jun 2011, 14:45 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-204: I hope it is Pro.
13 Jun 2011, 14:46 pm
thing is its not just about 1 bulls player, most wrote then off,
even players like WO and JPret are shining, Hougaard playing better and better at 9 , Russow near unstoppable
13 Jun 2011, 14:48 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-203: wait i’ll check out quickly
13 Jun 2011, 14:48 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-206: Jonker, from Richards Bay!
13 Jun 2011, 14:48 pm
The reason why Schalk should not be captain is because he can’t controll his temper, and more importantly, he is not a “diplomat”. He argues with the ref instead of trying to get the ref on his side. That is where guys like Smit and Fitzpatrick stand out.
13 Jun 2011, 14:49 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-204:
Sadly it is Marius Jonker.
13 Jun 2011, 14:50 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-209:
And Pro is the one linesman
13 Jun 2011, 14:50 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-204:
Stormers/Cheetahs, Marius Jonker
Bulls/Sharks, Kaplan
13 Jun 2011, 14:53 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-207: I think WO held his own against the 2 Boks. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; no other center in SA has the physical workrate of WO. It is amazing that he doesn’t get injured all the time. He takes the crush ball all the time without losing posession, and his defence is simply awsome.
Not saying he should be the Bok 12, but for the Bulls and the way they play, he is a KEY player.
13 Jun 2011, 14:53 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-212:
it get’s better and better.
13 Jun 2011, 14:54 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-203: johan schoonbee who is 2.06
13 Jun 2011, 14:57 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-200: As a Bull Bulls fan would you like to see a more creative Bulls side ?
13 Jun 2011, 14:57 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-214: 100% correct
13 Jun 2011, 14:58 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-216: Okay. Will defenitely keep an eye out for him. Is he a 4 or 5? Suppose a 5?
13 Jun 2011, 14:59 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-214: SBW ran straight through WO in Napier this year , IMO i think the Bulls can do better
13 Jun 2011, 14:59 pm
@stew(stew)-217:
As a fan of any team, I just want to see trophies in the cabinet.
13 Jun 2011, 15:01 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-214:
Yeah he is very KEY to Bulls gameplan but he is no different to Sam Tuitupou was to Blues(2003 Super12 winning campaign) or Darryl Gibson (98,99,2000 Saders Super 12 Invincibles)…But they never played a lot of internationals did they?? Nor did Lee Stenseness who was Blues 12 in 96/97-Graham Henry’s powerhouse Blues team.
13 Jun 2011, 15:01 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-196: OK, sorry. You have to narrow the 90 odd points differential to leapfrog us, but yes, in theory it’s possible.
Not likely, but possible.
13 Jun 2011, 15:01 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-205: how long does it usually take for someone to “regain” their form?
Habana has been rubbish for the better part of 4 YEARS without EVER being dropped!
13 Jun 2011, 15:01 pm
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-215:
Are you a signed up member of the Blue Bulls fan club (Cape town chapter)?
Yesterday, as I was mountainbiking on a wine farm just outside Durbanville I came upon one of their satelite offices.
Operating from a white opel Monza with black windows.
R and B full volume
Wine from tupperware cups
Huge Blue Bull flag on pole next to Opel and friendly recruiting officers who tried to stop me
New face of rugby in the Western Cape?
13 Jun 2011, 15:01 pm
@stew(stew)-217: Yes. However, if given a choice between being entertaining or winning, I would much rather see a winning Bulls side. And a winning Stormers side. And a winning Sharks side. I dont care much for the Lions and Cheetahs.
We cant all be winners… 
13 Jun 2011, 15:02 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-221: Exactly!
As Heyneke Meyer puts it:
“Daar is twee tipes rugby. Wen rugby. En verloor rugby…”
13 Jun 2011, 15:04 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-219:
Personal Details
Full Name: Johan Schoonbee
Date of birth: 13 June 1990
Weight: 118kg
Height: 2.06m
Position: Lock
School: Paarl Gym
Team: Sharks
13 Jun 2011, 15:04 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-223: We’ve been in that position before…
13 Jun 2011, 15:04 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-225: Which Wine Farm fella??
13 Jun 2011, 15:04 pm
@stew(stew)-220: And he did the same to JdV in Cape Town. The problem does not lie with either WO or de Villiers, but with the way defence was organized. A week after he outplayed de Villiers and shined against the Stormers, he got neutralized by the Cheetahs’s Uys. Not because Uys is better, but because the Cheetahs worked out a plan that worked. Remember what Brendan Venter said? I’m sure he was in contact with his Cheetah team mate Naka.
13 Jun 2011, 15:05 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-221: 100 % correct but there is a certain amount of satisfaction when you win in style – just saying i think with a foreign coach this can be achieved at the Bulls , i base this on the improvement Mitchell has brought to the Lions – i was honestly shocked how well they performed in the first half against the Sharks
13 Jun 2011, 15:06 pm
Agent , this kid had an injury, he made the baby bok squad last year
13 Jun 2011, 15:06 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-230:
D’aria- Just before the exit gate.
13 Jun 2011, 15:07 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-230: Hiyas M brudda , hows you and how is junior??
13 Jun 2011, 15:07 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-225: privileged english speaking nazi-loving sadf so-called liberal enjoying the fruits of their opression.
13 Jun 2011, 15:07 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-231: Speaking of Brendan Venter, I watched that rediculous post-match interview again this weekend. It was the funniest thing ever!
13 Jun 2011, 15:08 pm
It was just good defence … Basson would have stopped just about every wing in the world with that cover defence.
Maybe Fourie should have passed earlier … no no no it must be Habana’s fault.
13 Jun 2011, 15:08 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-202:
i see the forensic services are in overdrive, yeah what a difference two months makes, from a has-been to the master – the tweeting is gevaarlik nogal.
13 Jun 2011, 15:09 pm
@Valkyrie(Valkyrie)-236: I’m guessing you are also knee-high to a grasshopper like your hero Tom Cruise … hence the attitude in cyberspace?
13 Jun 2011, 15:10 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-229: Yes you have, my friendly blogger with a girly name
, yes you have….
Wouldn’t bet on it happening again though.
Although if we lost to the Cheetahs by like 50 points and you beat the Sharks in Durbs by the same…..
But ja, I guess anything is possible.
You deserve to be in the top 6 based on recent form. so good luck to both you and the Sharkies.
13 Jun 2011, 15:10 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-224: I don’t know, you tell me.
As for Habana, his “rubbish” form was still good enough to score 2 tries against the Chiefs in the 09 final, still good enough to win the Tri-Nations and Lions series in 09, still good enough to score the only Stormers try in the S14 final in 2010, and still good enough to help the Stormers move from nowhere in 09, to a hot favourite in the past 2 years.
So yes, he has been “rubbish”, but even that is still better than most international wings. Easy to remember the “bad” since 2007 (that is 4 years), isn’t it?
As for Matfielkd. I see no comment, so I assume you agree on him?
13 Jun 2011, 15:13 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-241:
13 Jun 2011, 15:13 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-237: That was so funny, watched it a couple of times. A pity he is not interested in the Bok job.
I just hope it goes to Meyer. If there is one guy that can take a new, young team to WC glory in 4 years, it is Heyneke. He is already making the right noises about Strauss at hooker and Sadie at center. Both can take SA forward, with Strauss perhaps the captain?
13 Jun 2011, 15:13 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-240: i am here to keep these so-called fish hoek,clifton,camps bay etc libersals who gladly donned the nazi-loving sadf uniform real and to expose their hypocrisy.
13 Jun 2011, 15:13 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-213: Funny, for some reason I prefer NZ or Aussie refs for local derbies.
13 Jun 2011, 15:14 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-225: Sounds awesome! Cant wait to move back to Cape Town, seems like you guys finally got some class…
13 Jun 2011, 15:15 pm
@Valkyrie(Valkyrie)-236:
shut up capo.
13 Jun 2011, 15:16 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-235: Hey T. they discharged him today, the operation went well, the took the drain out yesterday and now the biggest challenge is keeping a wriggling, energetic 3 year old from putting weight on his leg for 3 weeks
Mom’s going to need her own perscription soon if you know what I mean….
PS thanks to all the bloggers for all your support, those that I haven’t had the opportunity to thank personally, it’s nice to see that in spite of the fierce rivallry that we experience, and I exclude guys like SharksLover from this, as he is a personal friend, that we are all still caring human beings underneath all of the bravado.
13 Jun 2011, 15:17 pm
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-248: capo?
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