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Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, the driving force behind the South African World Cup-winning pack, have brushed off suggestions they will be dominated by British and Irish Lions captain Paul O’Connell in the upcoming Test series.
At a news conference ahead of the first Springboks training session, they were asked to react to comments by 1974 Lions captain Willie John McBride that second row O’Connell would “boss” Matfield around in the scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls.
While not exactly laughing off the reported comments of the hugely respected McBride, the two South African locks said that the proof of who would dominate whom would be found on the field in the three-test series starting here in Durban June 20.
“He’s a great player, Paul,” said Matfield, a veteran of 80 Springboks appearances.
“He’s their captain and I see in the papers this week he had a lot to say to the South African locks when Bakkies and myself didn’t play.
“We will have to see if he has a lot to say to us as well. It’s going to be a good battle but we will only know after the three tests who’s bossing who around.”
Botha said that McBride’s pre-Test bravado would only motivate him even more.
“Boss around, when you said those words, that’s my game,” he said.
“Definitely it’s going to be a big challenge who’s going to be the (Lions lock forward) combination with O’Connell. He’s a good leader and a good player as well so to measure ourselves against two of the best locks in the world it’s just a new challenge for me and Victor.
“We’re not finished yet. We are preparing ourselves to go higher and higher. It’s a brand new challenge for us and it’s a big one and we are going to grab it with both hands.”
As Lions captain, O’Connell seems certain to play in the Test series and the question is who plays alongside him in the second row. Alun-Wyn Jones of Wales, Ireland’s Donncha O’Callaghan, Nathan Hines of Scotland and England’s Simon Shaw are the alternatives.
“It’s a very good Lions pack and back line so we will watch tonight at the game and see what comes out,” Botha said in reference to the Lions’ fourth tour game against the Sharks here in Durban.
He said he was age 17 when the Lions last toured here in 1997 and upset the world champion Springboks 2-1.
“The results from ’97 are a big motivation for us,” he said.
“We know that to be running out against the British Lions is a big contest for us.”
Botha said that beating the Lions was not far behind winning the World Cup and many of the Springboks stars who won that tournament two years ago had been driven on by the thought of the side coming to South Africa.
© AFP 2012Recommend this story.
June 11th 2009 @ 8:59pm
pothale said | June 11th 2009 @ 8:59pm | Report comment
Ben J – I agree with your point about the youngsters. Absolutely. But would they not benefit having the occasional experienced pair of hands standing beside them – surely an even better learning experience.
It’s not sensitivity, Ben, more sheer annoyance at this farce. Of course I agree, that a coach wants his very best to be available for the first Test, but then so do the Lions. And they already won’t have that in having lost Ferris from the tour. But that’s the risks you undertake when embarking on a tour. So if the strategy is to keep your best players, wrap them up, and then see how much your opposition can flog itself to death beforehead, fine. It’s not very appealing, that’s all. And I don’t think it benefits the players on those provincial teams either. That was the biggest winning margin against the Sharks to date. I’d far prefer that they got loaded up with some of the test Boks, and actually won the match. At least that puts some zest and bite into the tour. Instead of the grey, unattractive games thus far.
I was trying to think if the same happened when say the ABs were on tour last year. But they only had one midweek match against Munster. And the key Irish players were rested from that, because they were going to be playing three days later, and the ABs put out a second string team as well. Still it was a great match.
And I don’t relish the prospect of the Lions turning up for the Tests against a set of fresh legs, that have been off their feet for the previous four weeks. But hey ho. Maybe it will work against them.
Anyway, rant over. Until the next match!
June 12th 2009 @ 12:01am
Guy Smiley said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:01am | Report comment
Greg Smith that’s a big long lunatic rant about something that hasn’t happened! And won’t happen either, what are you on man? You seem to get crazier with every post!
If Willie John has said this I’d be pretty disappointed as it will only help one team.
Ben J, this tour should be featuring 10 real games, not 3. It’s been a joke so far. The only teams able to offer any resistance to the touring side didn’t really have any Boks to begin with. The Golden Lions were shameful and the Sharks played to defend and nothing else, they were as limp as wet spaghetti. And still the Lions struggled. Then we have the schools rugby atmosphere at games as the cries and shouts of an interested few echo around these great stadiums. Rugby mad nation my arse. As much atmosphere as Pluto.
June 12th 2009 @ 12:03am
Knives Out said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:03am | Report comment
The only proof that McBride implied O’Connell’s superiority over Matfield is the word “boss”. A pretty sad effort from Mr. Robert Millward.
June 12th 2009 @ 4:01am
Colin N said | June 12th 2009 @ 4:01am | Report comment
“And I don’t relish the prospect of the Lions turning up for the Tests against a set of fresh legs, that have been off their feet for the previous four weeks. But hey ho. Maybe it will work against them.”
I have the feeling that a lack of game time will work against the Boks. They will certainly be fresh, but will hopefully be underprepared.
June 12th 2009 @ 4:11am
Knives Out said | June 12th 2009 @ 4:11am | Report comment
Eddie O’Sullivan and Graham Henry were both severely lambasted for resting their players in 2007 and yet this has been conveniently forgotten, as has Carel du Plessis’ move to cotton wool all his Springboks in 1997. Anybody who knows rugby knows that nothing beats match fitness. If SA win the series I doubt it will be down to this rest period, and if they do lose the 1st test then at least the SA public has a ready made excuse.
June 12th 2009 @ 4:11am
pothale said | June 12th 2009 @ 4:11am | Report comment
Yeah. The key word in there Colin is ‘hopefully’.
And, hopefully, the first teamers haven’t lost 15-20% out of their legs by the time they get there.
June 12th 2009 @ 4:14am
pothale said | June 12th 2009 @ 4:14am | Report comment
Fair point, KO. It supports what Colin is saying. I’m just being my usual pessimistic self stuck here in Dublin waiting for bloody US clients to arrive when I could be enjoying myself in Cape Town. boo hoo!
June 13th 2009 @ 4:57pm
Greg Smith said | June 13th 2009 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
Lemmings !
Quietly South Africa have cleared away ALL excuses the B&I Lions might have wished to employ for losing.
Prepare for a classic whipping which will come down to simple things, like the Boks are a better team than the LIons, they bond, gel and work together better.
You’re unlikely to credit PdV for the simple things he does right but I’m sure you’ll blame Ian McGeechan when the Lions look a shambles.
I’d say the B&I Lions can count on a refereeing bias of 60/40 in their favor too. When that gets to 80/20 the Boks could lose.
(Maybe the second or third Test)