21/10/2007 22:14

Hennie Brandt, Beeld

Paris - After playing a major role in South Africa's rugby World Cup triumph, Victor Matfield has his sights set on the British and Irish Lions.

The towering Springbok lock forward proved again in the final at Stade de France on Saturday night that he had no equal in the lineout.

He added the World Cup gold medal to the distinctions of having played in a team that won the Tri-Nations, leading the Bulls to a Super 14 title and winning the Currie Cup on several occasions.

However, there is still a challenge that the 30-year-old Matfield is looking forward to, namely the 2009 Lions tour of South Africa.

"What still motivates me and keeps me going is the prospect of playing against the Lions in 2009," Matfield said on Saturday night.

"There is not much more to achieve. Bakkies (Botha) and I said to each other in the dressing room that we had now won everything: Tri-Nations, Currie Cup, Super 14 and the World Cup final.

"But we have not had the opportunity of playing against the British and Irish Lions. That could keep us going."

Matfield, as the general in the lineout, had much to do with England's downfall.

Put their lineout under pressure

"We are still working hard to improve our lineout even more," Matfield said. "We succeeded in putting England's lineout under pressure after they had done well in our group-phase match.

Matfield, Botha and Juan Smith wrecked the lineout as an England platform, winning the opposition's first two throws and five more later.

This denied England one of their best pieces of armoury, the rolling maul from the lineout.

Springbok captain John Smit said after the match that, because of the domination in the lineout, England had been unable to get the mauls going.

"It saps one's energy when you have to try and stop mauls. Thanks to our lineout work we did not have to waste energy because they were unable to gain momentum in the mauls."

Matfield was equally proud of his tackle on England centre Mathew Tait near the Springboks' try-line early in the second half.

Tait had beaten Springbok inside centre Frans Steyn and fullback Percy Montgomery before the big lock brought his run to an end.