Victor Matfield & Bakkies Botha
Victor Matfield will captain the Springboks in the Castle Lager Incoming Series this month in the absence of the injured Jean de Villiers – and he will lead them out for the first time since his return to rugby in Saturday’s match against a star-studded World XV, sponsored by Samsung, at Newlands (kick off 17:00 SA Time).
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer made the announcement in Cape Town on Tuesday. Matfield, who has played 110 Tests for South Africa, last captained the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
“Victor’s appointment as interim captain is something I thought long and hard about and it wasn’t an easy decision to make,” said Meyer.
“The three candidates we considered, Victor, Bismarck du Plessis and Fourie du Preez, were all very strong options.”
“We’re in a fortunate situation that we have a strong leadership group in the current squad, which includes Victor, Bismarck, Fourie, Bryan Habana, Schalk Burger, Flip van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw.”
“It’s only a short-term appointment as Jean will take over as captain again once he’s recovered from his injury. Victor was a logical option – he knows the pressure associated with being Springbok captain as he’s been there before and he has vast captaincy experience at all levels of the game.”
“I also firmly believe Bismarck has improved a lot in this role with the Cell C Sharks and I know he can still lead the Springboks. He’s 100% supportive of Victor and he will remain one of our vice-captains for the season.”
“Victor is someone who has the respect of all the players in our squad, as well as world-wide in rugby. He’s achieved a lot and has always put the team’s interests first, while most of the players in our squad have already played under him.”
Matfield, who has captained the Springboks in 17 Tests earlier in career, said he is very grateful for the trust shown in him by the national coach.
“I’m here to serve the team and would like to make a positive contribution,” said Matfield.
“When I decided to return to playing rugby, my aim was to be good enough to make the Springbok team. I never dreamt of leading the team again and it’s a massive honour.”
“The coach has built a strong core of leaders and I’m fortunate to have guys such as Bismarck, Fourie, Bryan, Duane, Schalk, Flip and Francois alongside me. And we’ll have Jean and Adriaan Strauss back with the team soon, which will add to the depth of leadership.”
Matfield will captain the Springboks in their four matches in June. The vice-captains will be Bismarck du Plessis and Fourie du Preez.
@ nortierd:
Jake has a long history of his ego writing checks his team can’t cash…..
😀
Snoek wrote:
Ha ha ha, Jannie is so dof, he saw the C next to the surname Du Plessis and assumed they meant him, hence his arguing with the refs the whole time
@Snoek
Do you think Jannie graduated from the Zoolander School for kids who don’t know how to read and write so good?
@SB
The David Copperfield of coaches, always manages to pull an excuse out of the hat
nortierd wrote:
And an occasional World Cup. 😉
@ nortierd:
More like die kulkuns van Martino.
Still he’s an excellent coach, but he’d be a more well liked guy if he learned to shut up once in a while.
Stormersboy wrote:
I don’t think Jake is in the business of being liked. Ask his wife 😀
Some people are just like that. I will like him a bit more if he can pull a SR trophy out of his hat.
Yep, always grateful for the WC and will always like him for that.
Agree, it should be less about him and more about the team, however, looking at the current mob he coaches, maybe it’s better that they focus on him.
Anyway, before I logout, congrats Vic, make us proud this month.
Cheers guys
Cheers bud
Enjoy the tests and the break from the SR.
At least you will still be in top spot when it resumes, and already assured of being the only SA side in the top 6
@ nortierd:
Jake was making a silly point, didnt Plumtree play Lambie at flyhalf all season?
@MB
Think eventually he went the Michelak route and played Lambie at 15 or from the bench
@ nortierd:
that was 2012, i think last year at the end lambie and ludik were the centres
lambie played flyhalf all year, butch james came in for the bulls game at the end of the season and got sent off lol
@MB
Sorry, yes, you are right.
Then who was the Sharks 10 last year, with Lambie?
He didn’t play there all year, can’t remember, but maybe he was also injured for a while?
so when jake said, he is going to give lambie game time at flyhalf it was barely ground breaking
164
Lol, I liked Butch
Are you sure Lambie played there all year?
We should ask Puma to check in his Lambie scrap books 😉
@ nortierd:
i checked some random games now and he was flyhalf each time, maybe its just luck lol
@MB
He probably was 10 all year then.
@ nortierd:
yep i stopped looking at round 14, he was flyhalf everytime
Fred Zelinga played there a bit didn’t he?
@ Stormersboy:
currie cup
@ Stormersboy:
Sorry Fred was on the bench against the kings, riaan viljoen was flyhalf for that game
@ MacroBok:
Correct me if I’m wrong.
In 2012 Lambie started the season at FH, got injured after 5/6 rounds with the Sharks languishing in the bottom half of the log. The Froggie than played FH and the Sharks not only reached the play offs but went on to beat the Stormers in the semi final to be in the final.
In 2013 Lambie played FH for the whole season and the Sharks ended up in 8th position and don’t make the play-offs.
In 2014 Lambie gets injured very early in their campaign (1st match?) with Swiel, Zeilinga and Fransie playing FH for most of the season and the Sharks top the log.
174 @ Nama:
Careful, you’ll cop the wrath of the whole of the SRKZN (Selfish Republic of Kwa-Zulu Natal) bearing down on you like a ton of bricks, suggesting that the Timotei Boy is anything but perfect.
You’ll be persona non grata and you’ll have to look over your shoulder for cars sporting the little Sharkfish on the back, looking to run you over… several times.
I don’t think you are far wrong though.
@ grootblousmile:
I do like Lambie. He does have one very, very good game at FH every 2 years or so. 2010 CC final comes to mind. There were a few others. But he is not consisent as a match winner at 10 and his record proves it.
@ Nama:
Lambiekins got injured in round 6 this year
@ MacroBok:
OK
Wasn’t sure
As far as the Sharks supporters are concerned…pffft. 😆
The decent ones excluded. The few that there are. 😉
@ MacroBok:
Really? OK then.
I thought it was earlier since Swiel played a few games before he was dropped and then Zeilinga also played 1 or 2 before getting injured.
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