Victor Matfield believes the Springboks may have paid the price in November for the Bulls and Blue Bulls’ success earlier in the season.
Sport24
The Springbok lock and captain of the champion Super14 and Currie Cup teams believes those triumphs drained his team-mates and they were not 100% when South Africa toured Europe.
“It was such a brilliant rugby season for everyone that I think the Bulls guys, in particular, were drained. To get through a Super14 semifinal and final, then beat the British and Irish Lions in a series, win the Tri-Nations by beating New Zealand and Australia on their home soil, and come back for a Currie Cup semifinal and final, was not easy,” said Matfield.
“Perhaps we could not get switched on for the Boks again.”
The 33-year-old lock, who is on course to play his 100th Super14 game and Test this year, gave the assurance that the Bulls’ batteries would be recharged for 2010.
“We prepared well again and things are quite settled. The first few weeks of the Super14 are always difficult, but I’m confident that we can kick off well,” said Matfield.
The Bulls won their first five games last season and finished the league phase with 10 victories. They are aiming for a similar feat this time.
“We have adapted a little and will try a few new things. I was quite pleased with our training game against the Lions because things went well. We have a few more aces up our sleeves that we are keeping for the competition,” said Matfield.
He said some of the experiments of 2009 would be repeated.
“Last season we only left late for the overseas tour and beat the Hurricanes that Saturday. That gave the tour momentum. We will do it again this year. Fortunately our first tour game will be in Perth, which means that it’s just a short flight. This will make the time away from home even shorter.”
The Bulls achieved a number of milestones last year.
Matfield does not believe they will struggle again as they did in 2008 after their first Super14 title win.
“So much experience has been gained that it will simply not happen again. Remember too that things were not going very well at the start of that year.”
Matfield was a picture of consternation when Test referee Craig Joubert discussed the new application of the laws at the breakdown with the Bulls on Wednesday.
“The Bulls have high standards and we want to keep it up there. We’re a proud bunch and want to achieve things together. That is why it’s so easy to captain these guys.”
February 4th, 2010 at 2:13 am
Well, I must say you all
looked fine, fit, rested and
motivated when facing the
AB’s for the BaaBaa team.
Please explain?
Was it Mallett’s coaching?
Better money?
Or the five days rest?
February 4th, 2010 at 3:33 am
Am I the only one that thinks Vic answers a lot of questions without realising it himself? Firstly he says;
“It was such a brilliant rugby season for everyone that I think the Bulls guys, in particular, were drained. To get through a Super14 semifinal and final, then beat the British and Irish Lions in a series, win the Tri-Nations by beating New Zealand and Australia on their home soil, and come back for a Currie Cup semifinal and final, was not easy,” said Matfield.”
Yes Vic, the season might have been brilliant but the coaches and administratators are far from brilliant grinding the same old players into the ground game after game. Are they trying to prove Noakes wrong or are they just dom? If Henry could see that taking the AB’s out of some Air NZ games was necessary, why couldn’t our lot?
Secondly he says
“The Bulls have high standards and we want to keep it up there. We’re a proud bunch and want to achieve things together.
Swallow some of that pride Vic. If you have to rest the odd Bok from your team and lose so what. The Bulls were lying about 5th when your boks were rushed from the trinations into trying to get your team into the Currie Cup semis. Yes they achieved that, but at what cost? As you suggest, the Boks probably suffered as a result.
The Air NZ competition was won by Canterbury who during the runup lost 3 games playing without their key players who were being rested. They are also a proud side and hurt when they lost the Ranfurly Shield to Southland but they are wise enough to be satisfied they have in the process unearthed plenty of young talent and just look at what the AB’s achieved on their end of year tour.
February 4th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Reply to out wide @ 3:33 am:
Boer before the Bok… and can hardly blame them…
February 4th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 7:14 am: Heheheheheheh
It actually sounds good when you say it that way…
February 4th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 7:14 am:
Yup, age old kak of SA Rugby.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:55 am
““Perhaps we could not get switched on for the Boks again.””
Perhaps – perhaps, fooking perhapsReply you say.
When will these “proud” players and coaches REALISE rugby is 80 – 90 % MENTAL.
It is a very very very basic mental skill lacking – to “get switched on” !!!
February 4th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Reply to out wide @ 3:33 am:
Spot on !!!
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 7:14 am:
Yip, seems the way it went . . . . . .
February 4th, 2010 at 10:02 am
well I suppose in retrospect its easy to say “we might ot have been as up for it” durign the EOY tour.
But if the ame thing happens this year, will you go on tour and take the money yet lose your games or will you put SA rugby first and rest?
Again Peter ‘asking’ the players if they want to tour is just plain shite.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Didn’t Matfield say, just after they got back from the EOYT, that fatigue wasn’t the problem?
February 4th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 1:43 pm:
So what was it?
Mauled by the Frogs, losing
the physical stuff hands down
and then outfoxed by the Oirish
with the kick-charge gameplan
going for the dogs.
Yet when they donned the Baabaa
strip they were all stars.
February 4th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:04 pm:
I don’t think that you can compare a test to the Baabaa’s game in terms of intensity.
February 4th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Victor se net wat ons al reeds weet, niks nuut nie, dis onverstaanbaar om die minste te se, provinsie voor land, of miskien geld voor eer.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
“Matfield was a picture of consternation when Test referee Craig Joubert discussed the new application of the laws at the breakdown with the Bulls on Wednesday.”
Hope they meant ‘concentration’???
On de udder hand Darren – hy sal seker wees ja, mos nie juis gereeld dat hy sy kop in die oond steek en bietjie ‘graft’ nie!
February 4th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
P.S. Dankie PiepieMier, ek is ge-approve!
February 4th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Reply to Namboer @ 3:34 pm:
I saw that as well – and it fitted perfectly with my thinking of Vicky – so I just LMAO
February 4th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Reply to The Brand @ 3:48 pm:
I spotted that in posting but
thought I’ll leave it and see who
else is wide awake.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Reply to The Brand @ 3:48 pm: Reply to Boertjie @ 4:09 pm:
February 4th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:09 pm:
Piss snaaks
Reply to Namboer @ 4:15 pm:
Ja ja ja
February 4th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
JT will miss it – he mos
only reads the comments
and then jumps in.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
miss what?
February 4th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Ja Vic,
al the bullshit aside
you got paid well for the EOYT
and took the money
without making a yard.
Another one on the train ‘ey.
If you feel so kak for the bulls
say no to the springbok selectors
or give your EOYT money
to the bulls to develope talent in your absence
but please
spare me the bullshit.
Quack!Quack!
February 4th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Reply to JT @ 6:35 pm:
Hehehehe.
Reply to Duiwel @ 6:47 pm:
February 4th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
i dont think they were up for it, what was needed was not there – u not going to fluke against france and ireland away, its a great team but they definitly let themselves down.
Before the EOY tour everyone would prob have agreed the Boks were the best team in the world, a long time since they’ve had that recognition, but the tour results pinned them back and all sorts of questions were raised as to how good they really are.
Bit of a shame, should’ve probably gone with the young blood in retrospect who are hunggry for it, tho am not sure they could beat a first string ireland and france away, i think they need to do that this year tho. certainly a different approach needs to be taken to the EOY tours since our results have become abysmal apart from PdV in 2008.
February 4th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Toppie,
check this out
mate of a mate (my mate filming)
blackforest
less stone.
http://videos.mtb-news.de/videos/view/1561
gravity hurts.
accept it.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Too right Cabbie, and they could have sent a fully developmental team of CC performers and all would have been great.
I wonder if these players were not greedy for success in the sense that they wanted to become all conquesring heroes and beat everyone in their own yards?
In other words arrogant?
February 4th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
I don’t mind the all conquering hero stuff
but then do it
don’t just talk about it before
and quack! about why you didn’t do it.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Its not arrogant to aspire to be the best.
Thats sport ,boet.
otherwise you stay amateur
if its not about winning.
check that link
http://videos.mtb-news.de/videos/view/1561
p***klap off the planet.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
they were simply not realistic I think.
Not after the Curie Cup?
Lets hope lessons learnt. By the way Duiwel whats with the quacking?
February 4th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Ja but lest say they were tired yet in the back of the mind is that will to make 2009 the best year in the history of bok rugby.
Yet had they not toured it would have been! In fact I think a hungry CC performing squad would have fared better.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Haises that man fell himself to kakfontein. Hell I am not a pro but how could he misjudge it so badly!
February 4th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
wach in i slowmo,
his speed is good off the first hop
the second
and last,
he hets kick out of the saddle on the
start of the hop
(pushed forward by too stiff rear shock)
is not clipped intio his pedals
which as he is pushed forward
can’t pull it out with the legs
drops the nose
and howsyourmuthaboet.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
everytime i watch it
it hurts.
He is a mate of a german mate.
Saw the whole clip
he got up,just motioned no film
sat down a bit
got back onto his bike
finished off another 4k’s dh
straight into a 3day coma,pierced liver
or kidney,not sure
internal hemmorage is what done him
and a year later
he is riding again.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
That is an harde fokken duitser.
Fok weet.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Then again also lucky
blackforest
less stone
it would be slightly more of a challenge
to get up
after the Alps bit you.
then again it doesn’t matter where the planet
bites you.
It hurts.
but rocks and ribs
slow short breaths to see nothing is
sticking through the padding.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
February 4th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
February 4th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
well that forces me to work.
I’ll put the funky bike up for sale
on ebay.
annerdag Shields
mooistap
February 4th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
http://videos.mtb-news.de/videos/view/1561
:rant: 
:rant: 
February 4th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 9:49 pm:
EINAAAAA bliksem !!!!!
February 4th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Reply to newbokshields @ 9:52 pm:
yes before the tour i agreed with Duiwel which is play your best, but in light of their efforts or lack thereof, i think you were probably right which is to call some younger CC blood in.
that cyclist is in his moer in. dom donner.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:57 am
Reply to Morné @ 8:52 am:
No I actually think it’s more a case of where professionalism (coupled with Boer pride)…
I have no doubt if the Bulls were not as successful… there’d be more cries on the national ‘quota’ front…
Bulls rugby is the last bastion of the Afrikaner IMO… and it’s a world beater…
February 5th, 2010 at 3:01 am
Reply to Duiwel @ 10:05 pm:
Hehe… it gets worse the more one watches it…
The fact there is no scream… infers he’s been knocked sparko…
February 5th, 2010 at 3:03 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:57 am:
“No I actually think it’s more a case of where professionalism (coupled with Boer pride)” has taken over from nationalism… successful franchise over ‘the farce that is SARU rugby’…
February 5th, 2010 at 6:28 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 3:01 am:
That’s a kak-val – I replayed it several time – vasgehak soos ou grammefoon-plaat.
Remember those old musical “plate” (don’t know English now)
Then the get a scratch – to deep – and everytime needle gets there is stucks – and repeat previous groove.
That’s how I felt watching the fall – eventually had to kak myself out – to change enough of state – to switch off.
And fok – do you know how many times during only that – vas-hak-sessie – I relived my own crashes – nothing compared for sure – but I was tired – went to bed at 24:00 – slept soundly for the first time in 4 months – awoke afresh at 5:30 – bright eye and bushy-tail.
February 5th, 2010 at 6:51 am
Reply to The Brand @ 6:28 am:
The ‘bonobo’ in me just worries about how hard his nuts hit the bar…
February 5th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 6:51 am: Your bonobo would have run to his mommy and gotten a heart attack…
The chimp in that German got up and rode further…
Like any good Aryan man…
* Now watch cab…
February 5th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Oom D,
Saw the clip with me own eyes.
Stood up ,wiggle finger at cameraman,sat down
got back up
4 ks down still
into a 3day( i think?verify with HP
kidney\liver got punctured)
from internal hemmorrage.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Fokken harde duitser.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Brand,
we watched it on slomo.
you can see the rear shoch kickback
displacement of the feet
millimeters but enough(not clipped in)
to cost you time
not to lift the nose
and baddabing.
http://videos.mtb-news.de/videos/view/1561
kry nog n boggel.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
hit the planet so hard he bounced.
2 pk’s.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 6:51 am:
ha … i think by the time he came too his nuts were in the trees where every self=respecting bonobo eats them.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
he didn’t scream cause theres no time boet,
its not the movies.
Its quick.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 7:52 pm:
Watched again – his backwheel clips the tree – falling branch at end
Fook – this is EINAAAAAAA