Special swan song for 'blood brothers'
A journey that started 17 years ago will have come the full circle when South Africa host a World XV at Newlands on Saturday.
Blood brothers Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will lead the Springboks and World XV respectively – the first time since the late 1990s that they would be in opposing teams.
In the interim they have featured as a South African lock pairing in 80-odd internationals.
Botha will be playing his last first class game on South African soil, although he has a few 'exhibition' games that he will still feature in. He has already returned to farming in South Africa.
Matfield, speaking at the traditional captain's media briefing, revealed that they it was 1998 when they last opposed each other.
Back then Botha was a sprightly 19-year-old loose forward in the Falcons team and the then No.7 barely pushed the scale past the 100kg mark. Matfield, in stark contrast, was a bulky lock playing for Griquas and tipped the scale at a hefty 120kg.
"It is a bit different now," Matfield told the media briefing, adding: "I am now just 105kg and he is 120kg … maybe even heavier.
"It is going to be interesting, it is going to be nice to do the toss with Bakkies."
Matfield said the past decade-and-a-half was a "very special" combination.
"We've become great friends," the 38-year-old lock said, adding: "Even our wives and kids have become great friends.
"It was a great journey together."
However he would have no trouble in putting that friendship aside at Newlands on Saturday.
"Once we get onto the park it is all about what we want to do this year," Matfield said.
"I can't wait to walk out there on Saturday and do the coin toss with Bakkies. But while we are friends, I know that won't change anything when we get onto the field. I'm expecting things to be physical. Nobody will be holding anything back."
Matfield admitted Botha will make line unpleasant for them, because he knows his 'blood brother' so well.
"Maybe they will think they know more about us, given all the games Bakkies and I played together. Maybe Bakkies will just look at me when we get to a line-out and knows what I'm thinking."
Matfield added that the Springboks would like to start the season well and play with intensity.
"We've worked hard on the fitness levels. We've trained especially hard over the past week.
"This game is very important for us [South Africa].
"We have to get our attitude right, and show the right intensity. We need to work hard to overcome the rustiness," said the Bok skipper.
Matfield is not concerned that injuries have depleted South Africa's second row stocks to critical levels.
"I think a guy like Lood [Lodewyk de Jager] has been injured for a long time, so he'll be ready one of these days. Hopefully one or two of the other guys who are still injured will come through," said Matfield.
"Sous [Franco Mostert] has been training very well and he's played very well in Super Rugby as well.
"And then you've still got a guy like Flip van der Merwe playing for the World XV that's really experienced. He's been in this squad for a year or two and can probably come in as well. So I think there's good options for us."
By Jan de Koning, from the Bok camp
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