Victor Matfield is unfazed by the prospect of attack coach Tony Brown taking Springbok intellectual property back to New Zealand after the 2027 World Cup.
NZ Rugby announced on Monday that Brown had signed a two-year contract to be part of the All Blacks coaching set-up from 2028.
Speaking on the Rivals podcast, Matfield insisted that Brown’s departure should not be viewed as a concern.
“One thing I do like about Rassie [Erasmus] is his open communication,” the former Bok lock said. “Before the last World Cup, we knew Jacques Nienaber and Felix Jones were going to leave almost a year before the tournament, and they still did a fantastic job.”
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Matfield also recalled a similar challenge during his playing days when former Bok forwards coach Gert Smal joined Ireland.
“He worked with me for hours on lineouts, so it was difficult because he knew exactly how I thought about the game,” he said.
“But it works both ways. Tony is sharing everything with the Boks now, and when he goes there, we’ll also know how he thinks and what he wants from an attack.”
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Matfield also dismissed concerns that Brown would expose South Africa’s secrets to their fiercest rivals.
“I think everyone knows what the DNA of the Springboks is,” he said. “We want to dominate set-piece, dominate territory, and the kicking game and aerial battle are hugely important to us. Then we’ve got X-factor players who can hurt you from anywhere.
“I think most teams know exactly what we do and how we do it.”
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Matfield said the Boks would look to tap into all of Brown’s knowledge and experience in a bid to land a hat-trick of World Cup titles, which would lead to an “even bigger rivalry” between the two countries.
“Let’s just win our third World Cup, and then you can have him, because then we need some competition,” Matfield quipped.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The post Big Vic: Tony won’t take any Bok secrets appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Victor Matfield is unfazed by the prospect of attack coach Tony Brown taking Springbok intellectual property back to New Zealand after the 2027 World Cup.
The post Big Vic: Tony won’t take any Bok secrets appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
