Victor Matfield, the tower of strength in the Springbok pack, has sized up the upcoming clash at Wembley with a blend of respect and realism. Despite Japan's ability to surprise, he predicts that South Africa's sheer muscle and mastery in set-pieces will eventually overpower the Brave Blossoms this Saturday.
Recalling the spectrum of encounters with Japan, from the shock defeat in Brighton 2015 under Eddie Jones' watch, to the double victories in 2019, including a pivotal World Cup quarter-final, the narrative has been anything but predictable. Now, with Jones back steering the Japanese ship and Matfield himself lending a hand in their camps, the plot thickens.
"They’ll be competitive for a while – if their forwards can stand up,"
Matfield commented on the Rivals podcast. He elaborated that under the scrum tutelage of Owen Franks, Japan might resist for a time, but "in the end, the Boks’ power will probably be too much."
The memory of Brighton haunts Matfield.
"Do we have to go there? One of the worst days of my life,"
he confessed, recalling the bitter aftermath and the heavy burden of facing the press post-defeat. It's a stark reminder that overconfidence can be a team's undoing.
Despite the past, Matfield holds the Japanese team in high regard, noting their recent performances against Wales and Australia. "Their first 15 to 18 [players] can compete with anyone; depth is the issue if they get a couple of key injuries," he said, admiring their relentless drive to improve.
Looking beyond the Japan game, Matfield casts an eye towards the looming battle in Paris against France. This encounter rekindles memories of the nail-biting 2023 World Cup quarter-final, where the Springboks edged out the hosts. "France are the big threat for everyone," he acknowledges, "It’s going to be very tough for South Africa to go there and get a victory."
As the northern tour braces for its brutal challenges, Matfield's insights not only prepare fans for what's to come but also highlight the razor-thin margins between triumph and despair in the high stakes arena of international rugby.
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Victor Matfield, the tower of strength in the Springbok pack, has sized up the upcoming clash at Wembley with a blend of respect and realism. Despite Japan's ability to surprise, he predicts that South Africa's sheer muscle and mastery in set-pieces will eventually overpower the Brave Blossoms this Saturday.
Recalling the spectrum of encounters with Japan, from the shock defeat in Brighton 2015 under Eddie Jones' watch, to the double victories in 2019, including a pivotal World Cup quarter-final, the narrative has been anything but predictable. Now, with Jones back steering the Japanese ship and Matfield himself lending a hand in their camps, the plot thickens.
"They’ll be competitive for a while – if their forwards can stand up,"
Matfield commented on the Rivals podcast. He elaborated that under the scrum tutelage of Owen Franks, Japan might resist for a time, but "in the end, the Boks’ power will probably be too much."The memory of Brighton haunts Matfield.
"Do we have to go there? One of the worst days of my life,"
he confessed, recalling the bitter aftermath and the heavy burden of facing the press post-defeat. It's a stark reminder that overconfidence can be a team's undoing.Despite the past, Matfield holds the Japanese team in high regard, noting their recent performances against Wales and Australia. "Their first 15 to 18 [players] can compete with anyone; depth is the issue if they get a couple of key injuries," he said, admiring their relentless drive to improve.
Looking beyond the Japan game, Matfield casts an eye towards the looming battle in Paris against France. This encounter rekindles memories of the nail-biting 2023 World Cup quarter-final, where the Springboks edged out the hosts. "France are the big threat for everyone," he acknowledges, "It’s going to be very tough for South Africa to go there and get a victory."
As the northern tour braces for its brutal challenges, Matfield's insights not only prepare fans for what's to come but also highlight the razor-thin margins between triumph and despair in the high stakes arena of international rugby.