Matfield has been named as interim skipper for the games against Warren Gatland’s tourists in Durban and Nelspruit on June 14 and 21, as well as this week’s clash with a World XV and a one-off encounter with Scotland.
The 37-year-old’s appointment comes in the wake of Jean de Villiers’ absence with a knee injury and it caps a remarkable comeback for the Bulls and former Toulon star given that he officially retired from the game three years ago.
Matfield brought down the curtain on his stellar career after the 2011 Rugby World Cup but returned to the game earlier this year and appears to have picked up where he left off.
“When I decided to return to playing rugby, my aim was to be good enough to make the Springbok team. I never dreamt of leading the team again and it’s a massive honour,” said Matfield, who has captained his country on 17 previous occasions.
“I’m here to serve the team and would like to make a positive contribution. The coach has built a strong core of leaders and I’m fortunate to have guys such as Bismarck (du Plessis), Fourie (du Preez), Bryan (Habana), Duane (Vermeulen), Schalk (Burger), Flip (van der Merwe) and Francois (Louw) alongside me. And we’ll have Jean (de Villiers) and Adriaan Strauss back with the team soon, which will add to the depth of leadership.”
Matfield has been capped 110 times by the Springboks and can boast an enviable record at both international and domestic level across his 13-year playing career.
A World Cup winner in 2007, Matfield has tasted success in a British & Irish Lions series and claimed two Tri Nations crowns, as well a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles with the Bulls and three more Currie Cups with the Blue Bulls.
He is rightly regarded as one of the leading lights in the professional game and South African head coach Heyneke Meyer believes the respect he garners from his team-mates and opponents and his vast amount of experience makes him the ideal man to lead the Boks into battle with Alun Wyn Jones’ Wales.
“Victor was a logical option – he knows the pressure associated with being Springbok captain as he’s been there before and he has vast captaincy experience at all levels of the game,” said Meyer.
“Victor is someone who has the respect of all the players in our squad, as well as world-wide in rugby. He’s achieved a lot and has always put the team’s interests first, while most of the players in our squad have already played under him.
“It’s only a short-term appointment as Jean will take over as captain again once he’s recovered from his injury.”
Scrum half Fourie du Preez and hooker Bismarck du Plessis will act as joint captains for the June Tests.
