News

Matfield bemused by Watson rant

October 13 2008

Springbok captain Victor Matfield has reacted with disbelief to team-mate Luke Watson's recent controversial comments, calling the loose forward's attack on South African rugby's symbols, administrators and players 'despicable.'

The South African Rugby Union expressed shock on Sunday and called for an urgent meeting to discuss Watson's comments in which he allegedly said he felt so nauseated by wearing the Springbok jersey that he wanted to vomit on it.

Watson is further reported to have claimed that "the problem with SA rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen", whilst suggesting that SA rugby is "rotten to the core" and that "the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am" while speaking at Ubumbo Rugby Festival at the University of Cape Town Rugby Football Club (UCTRFC) on Friday.

Watson has retorted by saying that the comments were illegally recorded and distorted, adding that he believes the reports are meant to divert attention from debate about issues such as transformation.

Matfield, who captained the Springboks for most of this year's Tri-Nations, criticised Watson for not respecting the Springbok's code of honour.

"I was hoping we were past the stage when people were differentiated from one another according to race, culture and language," Matfield told Afrikaans daily Beeld.

"If Luke used those words, he shattered the dreams of millions of young South Africans to one day play for the Springboks.

"Luke identified with the code of honour of the Springbok team which says one's own interest is always subject to that of the team.

In his alleged comments Watson outlines how he was ostracised by his team-mates in the national squad during the Jake White era, claiming that his team-mates would not greet or share a table with him.

"When I was captain (of the Springboks) I did my best to involve Luke in all the activities," said Matfield of his time as skipper under coach Peter de Villiers.

"I asked him to make an input in video and team sessions and he did not want to.

"It is untrue that the other players didn't try to accept him. It is rather a case of Luke never wanting to be part of the Springbok set-up.

"Many players came to me to complain that Luke was not, or did not want to be, a Springbok in heart and soul," Matfield said.