page_title: Victor Matfield
section_title: Senior rugby career
hierarchical_section_title: Victor Matfield / Senior rugby career
caption_attribution_description: A Bulls line out against the en:Western Force.
context_page_description: Victor Matfield is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and captained the South Africa national team as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls franchise in Super Rugby. He is generally considered one of the best locks to have ever played and had a long successful partnership with Springbok and Blue Bulls teammate Bakkies Botha.
  Matfield was known for his success at disrupting opposition line-outs – this skill was a cornerstone of their 2007 World Cup success, where he was crowned IRB player of the Rugby World Cup. In 2008 he captained the first team to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand since England in 2003. Matfield initially retired after the 2011 World Cup, leaving the game as the record Springbok cap holder, but returned after a two-year hiatus, signing a two-year playing contract with the Bulls for 2014 and 2015.
context_section_description: A big turning point in Matfield's career came when he decided to leave the Blue Bulls for the Griquas in 1999, where he was also selected to represent the Cats in the Super 12 that year. The move allowed him to prove his worth, and in 2000 he was given the opportunity to represent the Bulls Super 12 team.
  His hard work did not go unnoticed, and in 2001 he was finally selected for the Springbok squad, making his debut on 30 June 2001 against Italy. Matfield went on to help the Springboks' renaissance in 2004 and 2005; in the latter year, he made the five-man shortlist for IRB World Player of the Year.
  Matfield was an instant selection for South Africa's 2007 World Cup winning-squad, and won the Man of the Match award in the final for his brilliant work in the line-out.
  Matfield had been linked with a move to Leicester Tigers of the English Premiership after the 2007 Rugby World Cup., but later signed a six-month contract with French second division club Toulon, beginning in January 2008. At Toulon, he joined an ambitious side whose president Mourad Boudjellai signed many veteran superstars for the 2007–2008 season, such as Australian George Gregan, the sport's all-time leader in international appearances; Andrew Mehrtens, the all-time leading scorer for the All Blacks; and, as coach, former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.
  Between January and February 2008, Matfield played for Toulon in a stretch of nine key matches, before returning to South Africa and taking part in the 2008 Super 14 season with the Bulls. It was reported his decision to return was due to the South African Rugby Union having reconsidered to continue with its policy of allowing a limited number of overseas-based players to play for the Springboks.
  In 2014, Matfield returned to rugby as a player, signing a 2-year playing contract with the Bulls to keep him in the game until the end of 2015.
  At the 2015 Rugby World Cup Matfield started in the first 2 group games for South Africa. The Springboks advanced to the knock out stages, with Matfield coming on from the bench in their semi final loss to New Zealand. Matfield's final international game was a 24-13 victory in the third place playoff against Argentina where he again came on as a second half substitute.
  In 2015 it was announced that Matfield would sign for Northampton Saints after the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Matfield played for Northampton for one season before ending his 21 year career in a game against Gloucester Rugby
caption: The Bulls playing the Western Force in Perth, Australia in 2006.
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