Captaincy won’t stem Amla’s hunger for runs
VICTOR Matfield is set to become the oldest Springbok captain and the second-oldest Springbok player of all time when he leads the team against a World XV at Newlands on Saturday.
Matfield was yesterday unveiled as the man to lead the Boks through the June series, which includes Tests against Wales and Scotland, in the absence of the injured Jean de Villiers.
When Matfield takes the field he will be 37 years and 27 days old, just seven days younger than lock Johan Ackermann was when he, ironically, deputised for Matfield against Australia in Sydney in 2007.
By the time the Boks play their first Test against Wales the following week Matfield will be exactly the same age as Ackermann was in his last Test. Injury permitting, Matfield will become the oldest man to play for South Africa in the second Test against Wales in Nelspruit on June 21.
Matfield has made a habit of breaking records and being the oldest Bok and oldest captain are just two more accolades he’ll claim in the coming weeks.
He is already the second most-capped Bok of all time with 110 appearances – just one cap behind John Smit. By Nelspruit the appearance record will be his as well.
With such a wealth of experience, form and natural leadership abilities, picking Matfield for the Boks was easy for coach Heyneke Meyer and making him captain just as straightforward, even if it meant leapfrogging current vice-captain Bismarck du Plessis.
“If this was a long-term appointment I would have chosen Bismarck but it’s an interim appointment until Jean returns from injury,” said Meyer.
Matfield has already led the Boks 17 times and boasts a winning ratio as captain of 70.59%, placing him fourth on the all-time list of players who have led the Boks more than 15 times.
Cricket: Changing of the guard
VICTOR Matfield is set to become the oldest Springbok captain and the second-oldest Springbok player of all time when he leads the team against a World XV at Newlands on Saturday.
Matfield was yesterday unveiled as the man to lead the Boks through the June series, which includes Tests against Wales and Scotland, in the absence of the injured Jean de Villiers.
When Matfield takes the field he will be 37 years and 27 days old, just seven days younger than lock Johan Ackermann was when he, ironically, deputised for Matfield against Australia in Sydney in 2007.
By the time the Boks play their first Test against Wales the following week Matfield will be exactly the same age as Ackermann was in his last Test. Injury permitting, Matfield will become the oldest man to play for South Africa in the second Test against Wales in Nelspruit on June 21.
Matfield has made a habit of breaking records and being the oldest Bok and oldest captain are just two more accolades he’ll claim in the coming weeks.
He is already the second most-capped Bok of all time with 110 appearances – just one cap behind John Smit. By Nelspruit the appearance record will be his as well.
With such a wealth of experience, form and natural leadership abilities, picking Matfield for the Boks was easy for coach Heyneke Meyer and making him captain just as straightforward, even if it meant leapfrogging current vice-captain Bismarck du Plessis.
“If this was a long-term appointment I would have chosen Bismarck but it’s an interim appointment until Jean returns from injury,” said Meyer.
Matfield has already led the Boks 17 times and boasts a winning ratio as captain of 70.59%, placing him fourth on the all-time list of players who have led the Boks more than 15 times.
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