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Former Bok captain Victor Matfield launches personal tirade at Sam Warburton
By Ben Smith
Former Springboks captain Victor Matfield and ex-assistant coach Swys de Bruin have taken aim at former Wales captain Sam Warburton over his view on Ireland.
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Warburton publicly stated that he believes Ireland to be the world’s best team after they captured another Six Nations title during a run of Tests which has seen them win 21 of 23 over the last few years.
The debate over which team is the world’s best has raged on since the Springboks claimed back-to-back World Cups over a 14-man New Zealand side last November.
Matfield and De Bruin responded to Warburton’s view, with the former Bok captain launching into a personal tirade against Warburton’s career achievements in an attempt to disqualify his view.
“I don’t think he has (Warburton) made a final, no, he hasn’t made a World Cup final,” Matfield told SuperSport’s Final Whistle show.
“He hasn’t made a semi-final of a World Cup. Now you want to tell everyone that Ireland, who hasn’t made a semi-final in a World Cup, is the best team in the world when South Africa has won back-to-back.
“He must live in his own world.”
Although Warburton didn’t make a Rugby World Cup final in his career, he did in fact make a semi-final in 2011 before a fateful red card against France.
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The Springboks have not beaten Ireland since 2016, with the Irish winning the last three Tests between the two sides. During last year’s Rugby World Cup, Ireland defeated South Africa 13-8 during pool play.
Former Springbok assistant Swys de Bruin continued by blasting overseas pundits as “sensational guys” who don’t recognise “facts”.
“The pundits overseas, they are sensational guys. It’s not about facts. Victor gave the facts,” said De Bruin
“Sam is a great player but he can’t tie Victor’s shoelaces when it comes to experience and say what he wants to say.”
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The former assistant coach had no doubt over who was the world’s best team, putting the Springboks at the top of the pile.
“How can you ask me that? South Africa, Springboks.”
Matfield pointed to Leinster’s recent loss to the Bulls as evidence that Ireland are not better than the Springboks.
With so many Irish internationals in the Leinster side, their semi-final failure against Jake White’s Bulls shows that they will struggle against the full Springbok side.
“I am wondering at this stage if Ireland is the second-best team. Two years ago, before the World Cup, Ireland was really on a high,” Matfield said.
“I mean they (Leinster) come over with 14 of their starters and can’t beat the Bulls.
“They will be a different team. If you put a Bundee (Aki) at 12 that gives them momentum it makes them a different team.”
I see in Erasmus’s interview he says there was no messing on the SA side and all the niggle was with the Irish media. A bad liar, but it shows his attempt to inflame SA will achieve nothing except perhaps extracting the best possible performance out of Ireland.
This is sensationalist paraphrasing from an official world rugby owned news site.
You should be ashamed. The debate between Swys and Victor was pure quality ranging from picking players on form or for future and if its more important to win this game as Ireland is seen as the best team in the world by some pundits.
And all you can take out of it is painting two great former players in a petty poor light.
I hope Irish and Welsh fans see my comment as it was not as this “article” says it was.
Honestly, I am developing quite a dislike from playing the two SH ‘Giants’ when all you get is this level of toxic Donald Trump type commentary from their so called ‘Greats’.
Ireland and Irish supporters just need to play these guys, hopefully beat them and then not have to interact until necessary again. Etsebeth, DeAllende, Kolbe and now Matfield at this childish sh1t. Do SA supporters actually enjoy this nonsense?
Again, Rassie won’t be able to put a picture of Sam Warburton on the dressing room wall for motivation. His unpleasant ploy of trying to paint Ireland as arrogant has failed. Ireland are deathly quiet so you can only imagine it is quietly motivating them. Two weeks and then good riddance.
Aha I see the article is by “Ben Smith” so it explains everything
The discussion was nothing like this article says it was it was more about wether boks should focus in beating the best team in the world or focus on future development.
This article picks a few selective lines out of context from a rich wider discussion.
I see Erasmus’s troops have given up on the attempt to frame Ireland as arrogant. A picture of Sam Warburton on the wall in the Loftus Road dressing room might not have the desired effect. Ireland so so silent. Three days til the real talking starts.
Warburton was a fantastic 7 but Victor is right. The boks were the best when it counted most. That said, talk is cheap. I hope for a proper match at Loftus; best of luck to best sides on personnel/injuries but go bokke!
Why are the guys getting so emotional??? Talk is cheap and money buys the Whisky. Lets see what the 2 test have to say! That’s all that counts.
Douche bag Ben Smith at it again…. please get another job, you suck at this one BEN SMITH! Sorry excuse for a Kiwi……
Yep, driving the narrative that we are the bad guys. He certainly is from house Slitherin that’s for sure!
Read the headline, see who the “writer” is and can guess the content will be provocative BS from the BS itself.
Why is a story from months ago being brought up again? Oh yes! Because RP are trying to stir up sh*t…as usual.
A site owned by world rugby none the less.
this show Final Whistle.. the guys have a go at each other nevermind other pundits, its full on confrontational. Going to give a lot of clickable quotes
Haha I can imagine him spitting drool with that reply. Great build up Ben.
True.
I can’t imagine what you would call it if Victor actually got emotional in his response.
What was Warburtons last brain implosion about on TV again?
“With so many Irish internationals in the Leinster side, their semi-final failure against Jake White’s Bulls shows that they will struggle against the full Springbok side.”
There were also a lot of Irish internationals in the team that beat the full Springbok side in France 9 months ago.
Pretty sure SW would have been referring to Ireland at that point in time i.e. the Boks weren’t playing anyone. Either way it’s a rubbish point and unusual for him as he’s normally a very balanced and knowledgeable pundit.
As for the best, it’s the Boks and they’ve proved it beyond all dispute. Double WC champs and world No.1 - there literally is nothing else!
No. World number 1’s don’t go on holiday between World Cups.
“He hasn’t made a semi-final of a World Cup”
“he can’t tie Victor’s shoelaces when it comes to experience and say what he wants to say”
Sam Warburton is an idiot, and shouldn’t have said what he did, but stuff like this comes across really petty and nasty, and really doesn’t help with the perception so many of us now have of Springbok arrogance.
Why is he an idiot? You don’t agree with his opinion, but why does that make him an idiot? Ireland had hammerred France at home, Italy and Wales often with second string teams. Allow him his opinion. Ireland were no 1 for 17 matches in row. They lost a very tight game against NZ. He might be wrong (I don’t agree with him) but he is entitled to his opinion without being insulted.
Why shouldn’t Sam have said Ireland are the best team?
Speak for yourself when calling out Springbok arrogance. I don’t see it as arrogance. He’s right. NH pundits in particular love to sensationalise and hype up NH teams. I can understand the Springbok frustration - their achievements are constantly belittled.
Honestly, talk of ‘the best team in the world’ is childs play anyway. Springboks are the world champions. That’s all that really matters.