“We were so charged up… I was looking for Brian!”
The 2009 Test Series between the British & Irish Lions and the world champion Springboks was an instant classic and one of the most brutal encounters in the game since it turned professional in the mid 1990s. Victor Matfield was at the coal-face for most of it as he led South Africa to victory.
The South African, and world rugby, legend has fond memories of that series and smiles broadly when he recalls duelling with the likes of Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll.
Matfield was named man-of-the-match in the 2007 World Cup Final, which the Boks won, but he ranks the Lions encounters right up there with that achievement.
Ireland won a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009 so made up a considerable number of the Lions’ travelling party, but there was a good mix of English and Welsh stars there too, along with a sprinkling of handy Scots. As for South Africa, they were stacked with some serious talent and they were determined to avoid a repeat of 1997. Also discussed on that show:
- Victor’s world-class partnership with Bakkies Botha and a famous comment to Mike Phillips
- How South Africa is coping with the Covid-19 pandemic
- Ulster and Ireland star Dr Claire McLaughlin joins the lads from Belfast and discusses working on the Covid-19 frontline
- Classic movie (Groundhog Day), album (The Cranberries’ No Need To Argue) and match (Springboks vs. Lions ’09) reviews.
WATCH THAT HOUSE OF RUGBY EPISODE HERE:
SUBSCRIBE TO BAZ & ANDREW’S HOUSE OF RUGBY: https://playpodca.st/house-of-rugby-ie
Springboks legend Victor Matfield joins Baz and Andrew from South Africa for a very special House of Rugby episode. They re-live the 2009 Lions Series and a wild night in Monaco, six years later. Ulster and Ireland star Dr Claire McLaughlin discusses working on the Covid-19 frontline.
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