Ken Borland

Bakkies Botha & Victor Matfield - reunited with the Springboks

Having Bakkies Botha sitting next to him on the bus to Newlands last week was a scarcely believable moment for Victor Matfield as the former Toulon lock headed to his return to international rugby with the Springboks against the World XV.

Matfield, who had retired from rugby after the 2011 World Cup, was not only having his first taste of international rugby for nearly three years, but coach Heyneke Meyer had handed him the captaincy in the absence of the injured Jean de Villiers.

Botha, his “blood brother”, had already announced himself as ready to return to the highest stage when he brought all his old physicality and presence to the Springboks’ 19-10 victory over France in Paris last November.

“Bakkies and I looked at each other on the bus and we both said we just couldn’t believe that here we were, sitting together again on our way to playing for South Africa again. It was very special, such a proud moment and it was fantastic to play for the Springboks next to Bakkies again,” Matfield said.

Following their impressive performances against the World XV, Matfield and Botha will once again lock the Springbok scrum in the Test against Wales in Durban on Saturday. Matfield will captain the team for the 18^th time as he equals John Smit’s record of 111 Tests for South Africa, last week’s game being a non-cap international. They will extend their world record of matches together in the second row to 63 Tests.

Matfield will no doubt think back to Wellington 2011 when he thought he had shared his last Springbok changeroom with Bakkies as the current Toulon lock left the World Cup early with an achilles tendon injury.

“I knew my old lock partner was in a bad state and he broke the news to us during our Bible study session that he had asked to be sent back to South Africa to have an operation. I was shattered because old Bakke and I had a fantastic partnership in the scrums and his withdrawal meant that he wouldn’t be there when I played the last Test of my career. I had a lump in my throat,” Matfield said in his autobiography.

But Matfield returned to SuperRugby this year to help out a Bulls side badly in need of experience and had enough of an impact for Meyer, the coach with whom he has had the best relationship through his career, to choose him again for the Springboks.

And Matfield had a fine game against the World XV, controlling a slick lineout just like in the old days and impressing with his work-rate around the field. Botha, fresh from winning the European Cup and Top 14 with Toulon after three-and-a-half months out with a broken arm, had a massive game in the tight-loose and was named man of the match.

“Last November when I was first recalled to the side there were a lot of new faces, but now this second time it was great to see some of the old faces again and it remains a massive honour to play for the Springboks,” said Botha.

“It is always nice to play alongside Vic, he brings that calmness and confidence with him. I just have to look at his body language to know exactly what he is going to do.

“And now that he has lost a few kilos it will be easier to lift him,” joked Botha.

Rugby is clearly like a drug for these two great locks, both veterans of South Africa’s 2007 World Cup triumph, but their partnership and friendship is also among the most enduring in sport.

Their weddings were a day apart and they shared their Bulls benefit season together, running the Blood Brothers fundraising campaign for various charities.

And old age – Matfield is 37 and Botha 34 – does not seem to be slowing them down on the field either.

It was a day for the extraordinary at Twickenham on Saturday as the Springboks shaded England 16-15 courtesy of heroic defence, one of the strangest tries ever scored in international rugby and an outlandishly poor decision by the hosts at the end of the Test.

Rain before and throughout the match put paid to any hopes of expansive rugby, but it was still a gripping, thrilling encounter, played with great intensity.

As forecast, England posed the toughest challenge of the tour but, in truth, they were outplayed for long periods before the Springboks reacted to their 10-point lead by making a host of stupid mistakes that let their opponents back into the game.

Having battled their way into a 9-6 lead after a troubled first half, the Springboks piled on the pressure at the start of the second half, but had to rely on quite extraordinary bounces of the ball for their only try. Pat Lambie’s grubber first of all deflected kindly for the visitors, putting them into the England 22. Lock Juandre Kruger then spilt the ball, but it went backwards. The attempted hack clear by England scrumhalf Ben Youngs rebounded off JP Pietersen and flew high towards the tryline, where two England players failed to gather the ball, dropping it into the hands of Willem Alberts, who just had to fall over the line to score.

The Springboks led 16-6 and were poised to shut England out of the game. But it should be a major concern for coach Heyneke Meyer that his team once again failed to follow-through on a commanding position, letting England back into the game through mistakes like kicking directly into touch after taking the ball back into their own 22 or from the kickoff.

England responded by thoroughly dominating territory in the final quarter and, trailing 12-16 with 80 seconds left to play, they won a penalty. But instead of going for the try that would win them the Test, they kicked the penalty but then did not have enough time to get back into the South African half after they failed to win the restart.

England captain Chris Robshaw has been widely criticised for his decision, which was inexplicable. But one could see the worry in England’s eyes all the way back in Johannesburg whenever they contemplated a lineout or even trying to find a way through the Springboks’ outstanding defence.

Well-marshalled by captain Jean de Villiers, South Africa’s defence was phenomenally efficient, with every player willing to get down and dirty for the team as England unleashed wave after wave of big ball-carriers. But there was also minimal flair from the home side and the Springboks, who showed some neat touches on attack despite the conditions, always looked the more likely team to score.

Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermeulen were once again major factors in the lineout, with England hooker Tom Youngs suffering an awful afternoon with his throwing-in, and the Springboks used their advantage in that set-piece to the maximum.

After a torrid first 15 minutes in which referee Nigel Owens could see only fault in the visitors and no wrong in the English, South Africa dominated territory, keeping England under pressure, and it was pleasing to see Lambie play with such assurance at flyhalf. The 22-year-old kicked especially well, but also ran with the ball and showed some fine touches on attack in a far more balanced display at pivot.

One of the areas where the Springboks struggled was in the scrums, but that was largely due to Owens not seeing loosehead prop Alex Corbisiero scrumming in on the angle against Jannie du Plessis.

Whatever their other shortcomings, the Springboks of today are a hardy, determined bunch and they can be well-pleased with a perfect three-from-three record on tour. Their play was far from faultless but, for a team that is still developing, they showed impressive mettle in absorbing pressure in all three matches and ensuring victory was achieved, even if it was in ugly fashion.

There is no doubt that the future is full of promise for Meyer and this team.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-11-26-boks-play-it-by-the-book-victory-first-entertainment-later