In the heated debate over the finest centres in rugby, Victor Matfield, the legendary South African lock, throws his full support behind Springboks' Damian de Allende, contesting the popular opinion that All Blacks' Jordie Barrett holds that title. As de Allende approaches his 100th test cap during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series, Matfield is confident that de Allende will solidify his claim as the preeminent centre in the sport.
De Allende, who will be rested for the upcoming match against Los Pumas in Buenos Aires, will come into the rivalry series armed with 99 caps. His experience is pivotal, given his consistent performance since Rassie Erasmus took over as head coach in 2018, and even before under Heyneke Meyer and Allister Coetzee.
Matfield emphasized de Allende's underappreciated status in global rugby discussions despite his significant contributions to South Africa's back-to-back World Cup victories and a British and Irish Lions Series win. "We’ve got two key players, and it’s probably not the two you think I’m going to mention. I think Jasper Wiese is going to be huge in this tour," he said, shifting focus briefly before returning to praise de Allende.
"The other one is Damian de Allende, just the work rate that he puts in. Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] will be back, and he will be keeping him calm in that 10 jersey, helping him with making the right calls and just almost organising the whole attack. So for me, he is the player who is going to come through under pressure."
While Victor Matfield champions de Allende, Sir John Kirwan, the All Blacks legend, fiercely contests this view on the same podcast. Kirwan is so confident in Barrett's superiority that he proposes a wager on the outcome of the series.
"I’m going to put a bet on that. I think that Jordie Barrett will come out of this series as the best. So there is a little side bet," Kirwan boldly asserts.
Kirwan also highlights the potential impact of All Blacks' halfback Cam Roigard and experienced fly-half Beauden Barrett, especially in high-pressure situations against a formidable team like South Africa. He’s keen to see how Beauden will fare, especially after being named by All Blacks coach Dave Rennie to play against the Stormers.
"Then I’m really interested to see how Beauden goes this week against the Stormers. He’s already been named by Dave Rennie, because I think that he’s got X Factor. He’s got that break-a-game moment – even off the bench," Kirwan added, pointing out the potential game-changing abilities of the Barretts.
The impending series not only promises to be a showcase of elite rugby talent but also a decisive moment to settle the debate over the best in the position between Damian de Allende and Jordie Barrett. With high stakes on the line, both teams have much to prove, making this one of the most anticipated matchups in rugby's storied history.
