Victor Matfield
Victor Matfield will on Saturday become the most-capped Test player in the history of South African rugby when he leads the Springboks against Wales in his 112th Test match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Matfield made his Test debut on 30 June 2001 against Italy in Port Elizabeth. He retired after the Rugby World Cup in 2011 on 110 caps, but made a highly successful return to the game earlier this year.
“This is a fantastic accolade for Victor,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday.
“He has been a terrific servant of the game in South Africa and has led his country with distinction since returning to the Green and Gold.”
“When he returned to the game earlier this season, he set his goals on becoming a Springbok yet again and he’s worked extremely hard to get there. I don’t think anyone can doubt that he deserves his place in the team and he’s also been a great interim captain, with Jean de Villiers out injured.”
Matfield, who is also the most-capped Vodacom Super Rugby player in South Africa, will captain a Springbok starting line-up which shows two changes from the team which beat Wales by 38-16 in Durban last week.
Both changes are in the pack, where Tendai Mtawarira returns at loosehead prop, with Gurthrö Steenkamp reverting to the bench, while Flip van der Merwe will partner Matfield in the second row in the place of Bakkies Botha.
The only other change to the team is amongst the backline reserves, where Wynand Olivier replaces the injured Johan Goosen to provide necessary midfield cover. Ruan Pienaar will provide backup for scrumhalf and flyhalf, while Lwazi Mvovo can cover fullback and wing.
Commenting on the team selection, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said it was an easy decision to stick with the core of the team which beat the Welsh last weekend in Durban.
“I’ve always preferred to stick with a winning combination and the changes to the team were both part of our planning,” said Meyer.
“The backline really performed well last weekend and we would like to give them another opportunity to play together, as there were a number of new combinations.”
“The same applies upfront. Bakkies is fit for selection, but we decided to manage his workload this week and I know Flip, who has been outstanding in the last two seasons, will slot back in easily. The same goes for ‘Beast’, who upped the tempo with his work rate last weekend.”
Meyer said he is expecting another tough challenge from Wales this weekend.
“They’ve had another week together and will be keen to lift their game on Saturday, but at the same time we were not happy with certain aspects of our game and we’ve worked hard to rectify that,” said Meyer.
“This is their last match of the season, so we’re expecting them to come out firing. But we also want to make a step up and ensure we keep on improving as the season progresses.”
Springbok team:
15 Willie le Roux – (13 caps, 25 Test points)
14 Cornal Hendricks – (1 cap, 5 Test points)
13 JP Pietersen – (52 caps, 80 Test points)
12 Jan Serfontein – (10 caps, 5Test points)
11 Bryan Habana – (96 caps, 275 Test points)
10 Morné Steyn – (55 caps, 649 Test points)
9 Fourie du Preez – (Vice-captain, 68 caps, 75 Test points)
8 Duane Vermeulen – (17 caps, 10 Test points)
7 Willem Alberts – (31 caps, 35 Test points)
6 Francois Louw – (29 caps, 25 Test points)
5 Victor Matfield – (Captain, 111 caps, 35 Test points)
4 Flip van der Merwe – (34 caps, 5 Test points)
3 Jannie du Plessis – (52 caps, 5 Test points)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Vice-captain, 58 caps, 45 Test points)
1 Tendai Mtawarira – (54 caps, 10 Test points)
Replacements:
16 Schalk Brits – (6 caps, 0 Test points)
17 Gurthrö Steenkamp – (50 caps, 30 Test points)
18 Coenie Oosthuizen – (15 caps, 10 Test points)
19 Lood de Jager – (1 cap, 0 Test points)
20 Schalk Burger – (69 caps, 65 Test points)
21 Ruan Pienaar – (75 caps, 130 Test points)
22 Wynand Olivier – (37 caps, 5 Test points)
23 Lwazi Mvovo – (8 caps, 5 Test points)
Date: Saturday 21 June
Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Kick-Off: 15:00 SA Time (14:00 BST, 13:00 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Romain Poite (France), Francesco Pastrana (Argentina)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Stats and facts:
- The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 681 Test caps (295 in the backline and 386 in the forwards), while there are a further 261 caps worth of experience on the bench.
- South Africa and Wales have played each other 28 times since 1906, with the Springboks winning 26 Tests, losing one and one was drawn. The Springboks have scored 777 points and 97 tries and conceded 398 points and 33 tries for an average score of 28-14.
- Victor Matfield will be playing in his 112th Test for the Springboks, breaking the record he shared with John Smit. He will be playing against Wales for the 12th time and will also extend his record of 111 appearances as a lock for South Africa.
- Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 95 Tests in this position and if he scores a try, will extend his record of 55 Test tries for South Africa. He has also played in one Test at outside centre.
- Morné Steyn will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok flyhalf, with 53 Tests in this position. If he scores a try, he will also extend his record of eight Test tries as a flyhalf for South Africa.
- If he scores a try, Bismarck du Plessis will extend his record of nine test tries for South Africa as a hooker. Bismarck and his brother Jannie will also be playing together in their 33rd Test, which is a Springbok record for brothers.
- Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and Jannie du Plessis will extend their record of 15 Tests as a front row for South Africa.
- If he goes on Schalk Burger will extend his record as the most capped Springbok flank, with 67 Tests in this position. He also shares the record with Juan Smith for the most Test tries as a flank (11).
- If he goes on and scores a try, Gurthrö Steenkamp will extend his own record of six tries as a prop for South Africa.
- Ruan Pienaar, Schalk Burger and Flip van der Merwe are the sons of ex-Springboks Gysie Pienaar, Schalk Burger (Snr) and Flippie van der Merwe (Snr), while Francois Louw is the grandson of ex-Springbok Jan Pickard.
- Wynand Olivier last played for the Springboks on 23 June 2012 against England in Port Elizabeth.
- The referee is Steve Walsh of Australia (previously New Zealand). This will be his 16th Test involving South Africa. The Springboks have won 11, lost one and three were drawn. His last game was the Test against Argentina on 24 August 2013 in Mendoza, which the Boks won 22-17.
Springbok Test match records at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit :
- Most points – 10 (2c, 2p) by Morne Steyn on 15 June, 2013 against Scotland.
- Most tries – one each by JJ Engelbrecht and Jan Serfontein on 15 June, 2013 against Scotland.
- Most conversions – two by Morne Steyn on 15 June, 2013 against Scotland.
- Most penalty goals – two by Morne Steyn on 15 June, 2013 against Scotland.
- Most drop goals – none
@ Nama:
Daai Sutherland…!
n Ou vertel my as jy met n Cortina bakkie destyds daar bergaf gery het Matjiesfontein toe, as jy onder by Dwars-in -die Weg kom dan kook die bakkie van die koue! Die radiator en waterpomp vries vas, so vertel die ou, n Louw kerel, my. Sy familie boer daar in die vlak onder die berg.
179 @ Nama: sal nie omgee as Pollard soos Liefling 4 CB’s en 1 supertitel terug Loftus toe kan bring nie, dit is weer tyd !
@ Pietman:
Is dit dan nie ook waar die gesegde van “piskoud” vandaan kom nie: Dit raak so vokken koud, jy moet in jou hande pis sodat hulle kan lewendig raak.
@ Nama:
ons het kleintyd klippe in die vuur gegooi, en dan warm klippe in die broeksak gedruk en hande agterna…maak sommer knaters terselfdertyd ook warm…
Ben wrote:
ergste van alles, dis elke keer n WP-ou wat dit moet doen, die CB terugvat Loftus toe
@ Ben:
Moet nou nie uitgevreet wees nie. Julle het al 3 SR titels. Die Sharks gaan nou die jaar wen en die Stormers volgende jaar (want volgende jaar is ons jaar). Ons kan daarna weer onderhandel.
@ Pietman:
Ja man. Ek verstaan ook nie daai ding nie. Al die verloopte losskakels van WP wat hulle altyd man-alleen wen nie.
Shaum Mc Culley het dit vir SWA gedoen.
Liefling vir die BB.
Earl Rose vir die Leeus.
Elgar Watts (?) vir die Cheetahs.
Earl, Elgar en Shaun het dit nou wel nie in ‘n finaal gedoen nie, maar tog.
@ Nama:
Ergste van alles is toe gaan Sean en speel vir Namibia, en hulle kom trap WP op Nuweland met McCulley wat 21 punte of soiets aanteken daai dag!
Moet seker die eerste en laaste keer wees wat Nam daar gewen het?
(Terloops, Morne Steyn is ook n gebore Kapenaar!)
Ek het so n idee dat hierdie n baie kak 3 dae vir Engeland gaan wees.
Eers gaan hulle sokker span seker vanaand verloor, dan hulle junior rugby span more en Saterdag verloor hulle senior rugby span
Nee man, Liefling en Pollard is nie vannie onnerland (kaap) nie, hulle is van die Boland !
170 @ Nama:
tweede jaar na 2012, so hys nog jonk, maar net 21/22… ek dink nie ons moes soooo lank wag nie
Nama wrote:
Ek het nou daai outjie van die Paarl se naam vergeet, wat die wenskop vir die Cheetahs oorgesit twee jaar gelede, hy WP Vodacup gespeel eers? Daarna Bulle en Lions ook….hy het n lang skepskop ook daai dag oorgeklits.
190 @ Ben:
dankie tog Meyer het hulle gaan red 😀
188 @ Pietman:
En Schalk Burger is n gebore EP King 😀
Blixem, dit lyk of supersport nie eers probeer met Boots & all nie
Ben wrote:
Paarl Gim en Hoer Landbouskool, maar hulle speel WP (Maar jy is reg, Liefling is op Citrusdal gebore en op Piketberg grootgeword. Pollard kom van die Strand.)
@ Pietman:
Dit terwyl WP met iemand soos Riaan Gous aansukkel daai tyd. Mc Culley het al die punte aangeteken, as ek reg onthou.
@ nortierd:
Jy’s wreed.
@ Ben:
Vra bietjie vir hulle vir wie hulle geondersteun het toe hulle laaities was. Vra ook sommer watter provinsie hlle by die Craven Week verteenwoordig het.
@ MacroBok:
Wat is daai losskakel se naam man, jy wat goed onthou, wat die wenskop vir Cheetahs oorgesit het vanaf die kantlyn….ek sien hom voor my!
193: ja, dit is mos die manne van die Groot Trek, wat hierdie land opgebou het, nie die wat agtergebly het daar in die Kaap nie !
@ Pietman:
Francis?
@ Nama:
Riaan Gouws ja. Later NVrystaat gespeel n ruk, na Eric Herbert daar weg is.
Bekend vir sy vervyfskop van Carel se drie toe WP gelykop gespeel het in finaal….skop was net-net mis!
MacroBok wrote:
Burton Francis….vokkit dankie, anders het ek weer wakker gele.
198: Naka Drotske ?
Ben wrote:
Die wat nie kon swem of surf nie
@ Pietman:
Jis maar daai Burton Francis het n klomp goeie games gehad vir verskeie spanne, baie underrated gewees
197 @ Nama: hulle gunsteling songs van baba tyd was – ekskree nie wiepie nie, ek word ‘n bul ! 😆
MacroBok wrote:
OP was daai jaar n woeste span….
MacroBok wrote:
Imaail Dollie het hom uit die WP Vodaspan gehou, toe gaan Francis na SnorCity, vandaarLleeus en Cheetahs toe.
Dollie nou in Oz iewers.
@ Pietman:
” Ja, OuBeer, sy pa, het daai tyd OP ook gespeel,slot saam me tGeorge Rautenbach”
Daai twee saam het nie gespeel nie, net die oposisie gemoer…..Dink groot Schalk het eers begin speel toe hy vir die WP uitgedraf het
En dit sal Suerez wees wat score teen die Engelse
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