Victor Matfield has given South Africa a major fitness boost before their World Cup quarter-final against Wales, but has conceded the form of the Springboks’ other second-rows could mean that he will have to settle for a place on the bench on Saturday.
Matfield suffered a hamstring injury in the 46-6 win over Samoa but says both he and the team doctor Craig Roberts are confident of being fit for the crucial clash at Twickenham. However, the form of the younger duo Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth in South Africa’s victories over Scotland and Namibia has left the coach Heyneke Meyer with selection issues.
“Hopefully I can get back on the pitch this Saturday and hopefully I’ll make the side as well,” Matfield said. “They’ve [Etzebeth and De Jager] played very well the whole year and Heyneke is very lucky to have both of them and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has played very well as well when he came on. It’s up to the coach to decide,” Matfield added.
“I’m very happy, it doesn’t matter what role it is, as long as I can contribute to this team winning the World Cup. Whether it’s from the bench to being in the squad, helping them with organising the lineout, it doesn’t matter. The team comes first. It’s always easy to say you’ll almost do any role but as a player you want to be on the pitch.”
Matfield was persuaded to come out of international retirement for the tournament, having won the World Cup in 2007, and says he has a role on and off the field in helping the younger players reach their potential.
“I’ve been impressed by their performances,” he said. “We know what Eben can do and I think Lood has been outstanding. He gets around the park, his lineout calling has been very impressive.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Lood on the lineouts and the kick-offs, doing the homework on the lineouts with him and also in the last two years being able to go up against each other in the week when we do lineouts,” Matfield added. “Spending time together has been good. He’s a very clever guy and he learns quickly.”