Former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is unveiled as the new Springbok coach on Friday.
SAPA
Matfield retired at the end of last year after an illustrious career with the Springboks and Bulls, but said he would consider a return to the field if Meyer called on him to do so according to the Pretoria News.
“Everyone knows what I think about Heyneke, but we must wait until Friday before we talk about it,” the former lock told the newspaper.
“Let’s wait and see what happens, we will see, we will talk. Everything has consequences. Playing, I don’t know … but we will see. It depends if he wants me. I really don’t know, it is difficult to say,” Matfield said.
Matfield, 34, is certain to feature in Meyer’s management structure in the Springbok team if he is not asked to return as a player – probably as a technical adviser or a line-out consultant, a role Matfield currently holds at the Bulls.
Matfield, who is the most capped Springbok with 110 caps, captained the Bulls to a Super Rugby and Currie Cup title under Meyer’s mentorship.
A return to rugby by Matfield is likely to lure the likes of Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha and Gurthro Steenkamp back into the national team after their departure overseas.
If Matfield is to return under Meyer, it would probably be for a season or two just for Meyer to get to grips with the structure at national level and it would also solve the next big dilemma of who the next Springbok captain will be.
The Blue Bulls Company said on Wednesday that The SA Rugby Union had approached it for the services Meyer, the club’s executive for rugby.
Talks between the two parties were to take place in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Mmmm, interesting!
Would we really want Fourie du Preez back?
Victor Matfield retired as still the BEST in his position in the world, I feel Fourie du Preez not.
Just shows how highly the Bulls players and players who have played under Heyneke really rates him. That alone should be an indication to SARU that they have to get Heyneke by any means.
Let’s hope that those who criticized John Smit [ remember that Snor went to France to fetch him back] either say nothing or are honest and repeat what they said about Smit with regards to Matfield and FDP.
2 @ Loosehead:
It’s not that simple… one has to look at each player individually.
For instance, I say no to Fourie du Preez & Bakkies but a big yes to Vic, Gurthro, Danie Pakslae.
John Barney Smit was good… just hung on a season or possibly 2 seasons too long. He started getting seriously kak in the 2010 season.
Matfield, if he returns would know not to return for another 4 years, but maybe 1 or 2 more is exactly what the doctor ordered.
We should also look for exactly whom we have suitable replacements for Bok selection…
Matfield back could alleviate the Bok captain situation, as a temporary measure, giving chance for a new candidate to emerge (Josh Strauss perhaps). At this juncture we do not know what Andries Langbek’s form will be like after injury.
For Fourie du Preez there is already an able replacement in tow… Francois Hougaard.
For John Smit there has already been an able replacement, actually a better player for the last 2 years in Bismarck du Plessis… and for that matter Chiliboy and Adriaan Strauss as well.
In SA we’re a No 4 lock drastically short now, so old Pakslae might just do the trick for another year till the likes of Flippie or Elstadt or new kid Eben Etsebeth really steps up.
Victor Matfield turns 35 on 11 May.
Fourie du Preez turns 30 on 24 March.
Danie Pakslae Rossouw turns 34 on 6 May.
Gurthro Steenkamp turns 31 on 12 June.
So, old Vic will not see next World Cup as a player, whether he returns to the fold or not… but he could alleviate a currently sticky situation…
J Kallis mag dalk nog n Wereldbeker maak, maar defnitief nie V Matfield nie. Hy mag egter teen daardie tyd goed genoeg wees om deel van die afrigtingspan te wees. Hy moet nou daarop konsentreer.
6 @ Owen Meany:
Om die waarheid te sê, ek will eers kyk wat maak baie van die spelers in die Super Rugby reeks, voor ons sommer besluit waar is tekortkominge.
Ja nee. As daar ooit n tyd was om hand optesteek vir n Springbok baadjie is dit nou.
3@ grootblousmile:
Hang on Boss, Snor plucked Smit out of retirement in France to lead the Boks. He then moved him from hooker to prop to give Bismark the starting place that he deserved, but still needed Smit to lead the Boks. Smit never chose himself.
The thing is, do you pick your captain and then the team around him? Or do you pick your team and then your captain.
I am not dissing Matfield [ even though I don’t think that he is a good captain], I am just asking for fairness from everyone.
Loosehead jy vra vir die onmoontlike.
9 @ Loosehead:
I know you were / are a John Smit groupie… but even you have to concede that John Smit was not the best hooker or prop.
I’m lamenting 2 things…
1. That Snor placed John Smit in that predicament in 2010 and 2011.
2. That John Smit himself left it so late to retire from Internationals, knowing the predicament.
John Smit never retired, he went to France to PLAY and earn Euros… in fact he still has’nt retired and now earns Pounds again.
Regarding picking players and your captain… I’m dead set on picking players first, then from that to select your captain. Your captain MUST be able to hold down a starting spot!
Let’s look at something completely different… who are the possible Springbok captains… Schalla, Jean de Villiers, Juan Smith – they don’t automatically deserve their starting spots in a Bok run-on team. At Openside there’s Brussow and for inside center there’s Fransie Steyn and Juan Smith must firstly get over his injuries. Does it not therefore make sense to bridge the problem with a Matfield, till another captain clearly shines through? Is there a better No 5 lock than Matfield currently playing in SA – Bekker comes closest but is injury prone and we just do not know what his form will be.
The first 3 months of Super Rugby will answer a lot of questions.
11@ grootblousmile:
I am not a Smit groupie. I just wish that he is given the respect that he deserves as a great Springbok Captain. Remember that the policy was that if you play oversea’s then you are not eligible for the Boks, so at 30 something he had effectively retired from Bok rugby. Snor was of the opinion that the wasn’t a good enough leader amongst those playing in SA, so he brought Smit back and therefore out of retirement.
I have no problem with Matfield coming out of retirement to play for or captain the Boks. He would be my first choice at 5, but not as captain. For me, Joshua Strauss should be captain of the Boks.
12 @ Loosehead:
John Smit is almost a year younger than Matfield, only turned 30 in 2008 and only turned 30 after his stint in France.
Was he really retired?
Why is he still playing now for Sarries then, 4 years later?
Respect for John is marred by the fact that he has held on too long to International capataincy. That he was a great Springbok and great Springbok captain and hooker prior to 2010 is beyond question, he is after all a World Cup winning captain (2007) and has an illustrius Springbok career behind him, prior to 2010.
I see Victor is quelling rumours that he’ll make a comeback, so let’s rather see what happens, otherwise we’re as bad as some gutter jounalists who always tout an impecable source, which then turns out to be completely flucked in the end…
Cannot see this happening. FdP might still come back but face it, if he returns it will mean another long wait for Hougie. This time next year he’ll(FH) be raking in the millions overseas and te moer with bok rugby. He is the next great thing to hit Bokm/World rugby. His time in the spotlight. FdP had his show, time for the new generation.
Vic went out with a bang. Won everything, did everything, books, TV the whole farking freakshow. Time to let it go big guy. You are a legend and will always be. Dont pull a Schumacher on this one.
Hard for me to write this seeing I am a moooooooerse Bulls fan but facts are facts.
12 @ Loosehead: Smittie deserves the respect for what he has done but fokkit ou maat, Josh for captain………
Grootblougrillie jou site lyk goed man. sien ek het weer bietjie access hiernatoe so ek kan kom loer wat julle aanvang hierso. Sterkte vir jou en die gesin en n geseende 2012.
16 @ KWAGGA ROBERTSE:
Jy is MAKLIK die kakste ou wanneer dit kom by selfoon antwoord!
Ek wou vir jou en Langfaan persoonlik die beste van die jaar toewens en op 3 Januarie vir julle gelukwens met klein Pampierperdjie se 1ste verjaarsdag… toe antwoord jy nie jou flokken foon nie!
Alles van die beste, tjom!
My two cents worth. Matfield and Du Preez must stay retired and the new guys must get a chance to cement their spot in the Bok team. Matfield should be involved with the coaching…..no question.
Dunno where Steenkamp and Paksale came into discussion. But Gurthro is one of the best props in the world in his position and props last longer than most, he is good for the next world cup. Danie Rossouw is also too old now and must move aside. As I said elsewhere “Juan Smith must also move aside”. A lot of our good locks have already buggered off overseas because Vic and Bakkies stayed too long…lets not compound that error now. By keeping older favourite players Meyer will make the same mistake that Martin Johnson made. Lets move on.
“Matfield plays down talk of Springbok comeback ”
http://www.worldcupweb.com/rugby/news/viewarticle.asp?id=33546
15@ KWAGGA ROBERTSE:Jy sluip hier in soos ‘n hoer in die nag.
I think they would be mad to make a comeback – Especially Big Vic. The only way for them to go is down. Matfield has so much to offer the game, and I think he nows it – but it is not playing the game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as part of HM’s dream team
I just had to go and see the other view, so guess where? i know you all know the answer. And ooh yes the other view differs from the view we share here. More people dislike the appointment of HM. Even the willingness of Victor Matfield to return for Heynecke is made a issue of race.
I am not over sensitive about HM and the accusations that it will now become the springbulls but through my blue tinted glasses i was always proud of the players HM acquired for his teams, he seldom bought a dut. Now with every player in SA available for his teams i doubt that he will overlook players who will strengthen his chance to be the best.But he is in a position where every Bulls player he picks will be compared against the rest of the players. Jake White and Peter de Villiers had more than 10 Bulls players in their WC squads but HM wont be forgiven if he does that.
I said it back there when Peter got the job ahead of HM that the new coach does not have such a high bar to cross, our win percentage is nothing to be proud about. For the next coach to reach 70% winning margin is quite easy and must be a benchmark set by SARU.
22 @ superBul:
Only 70%????
No man, fark no!
We deserve better!
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