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A fresh-faced Matfield, aged 20 years old tours Australia as part of the U21 Baby Boks team, 1997. Little did people know then what glory lay in wait...(Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)
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At the tender age of 22, unable to get big team game time at the Bulls, Victor Matfield leaves Pretoria and makes his debut in the Currie Cup for the Griquas. His season is a huge success and he gets noticed by some of rugby's big names. (Duif Du Toit/Gallo Images)
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At 22 years of age Victor Matfield plays his first full season of Super 12 rugby for the now-defunct Cats franchise. He show his worth and in 2000 he returned to the Blue Bulls. (Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)
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Victor's return to the Bulls in 2001 was a turning point in his career and the beginning of a long love affair with the baby blue Bulls jersey. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield's hard work at the Bulls did not go unnoticed as he earned himself a place on the Springbok squad in 2000 on the Springboks tour of Argentina. (Gallo Images)
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A young Victor Matfield earns his debut for the Springbok team against Italy at the Luis Ferraris stadium in Genoa, he scores a try in his very first game as a Springbok, showing the promise of things to come. (Duif du Doit/Gallo/Touchline Media)
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Victor Matfield in a Bok training session with the then captain of the Bulls Joost van der Westhuizen in Australia during the Tri-Nations in 2003. Matfield would later go on to follow in Joost's footsteps by captaining the Bulls. (Tertius Pickard\Gallo Images)
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2003: Victor Matfield competes in his first World Cup under coach Rudolph Straueli, but an inexperienced team goes down to New Zealand in the quarterfinals. In the wake of the World Cup, the revelations of Camp Staaldraad shock South Africa's media. (Gallo Images)
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The Blue Bulls, spearheaded by their brilliant pack and lineout king Victor Matfield win a hattrick of Currie Cup titles (2002,2003,2004) as 'die Blou Masjien' once more becomes a dominant force in SA rugby again. (Gallo Images)
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In 2004 Victor Matfield was picked to play for Jake White's Springbok team. Here Victor Matfield is pictured with his boyhood hero Mark Andrews and Jake White. (Gallo Images)
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2004: Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield celebrate winning the Tri Nations for only the second time in the Springbok history. (David Rogers \ Gallo Images)
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2005: Victor Matfield is chosen to Captain the Blue Bulls for the Super 12 for the first time. (Gallo Images)
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2007: Victor Matfield leads the Bulls to victory in the Super 14. They become the first team to win the Super Rugby competition since Traansvaal (later known as the Golden Lions) won the inaugural Super 10 in 1993. (Gallo Images)
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2007: The Springboks win the World Cup, beating England 15-6 in the final. The world media hails Victor Matfield, whose lineout heroics formed a crucial part of the blueprint for the Springboks success. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield shakes hands with Nelson Mandela. (Gallo Images)
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2008: Pieter de Villiers goes overseas to call back Boks John Smit and Victor Matfield after Jake White had been fired. He promised them Springbok places and remained true to his promise to the very end. (Gallo Images)
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The Blood Brothers: The Victor Matfield - Bakkies Botha partnership that was forged first at the Bulls and later with the Springboks has become one of the most feared and revered lock partnerships of all time. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield always did well in Cape Town. Here he is posing on top of Table Mountain in a photo shoot publicising the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield, third from left, standing tall. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield's dominance in the lineout was one of the features of the Springboks inspiring victory over the British and Irish Lions. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield runs past the trophy before going on to wins his fifth Currie Cup with the Bulls in 2009. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield stars for the Barbarians as they defeat New Zealand in 2009. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield captains the Bulls as they win their third Super 15 trophy in 2010. (Gallo Images)
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Victor becomes only the third Springbok to earn 100 Caps in the Springboks' victory over Australia at Loftus Versfeld in 2010. (Gallo Images)
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Victor Matfield does a few pull up on the crossbar. Easy to do when you stand 6 ft 7 inches off the ground. (Gallo Images)
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In Victor Matfield's last match for the Springboks in their 11-9 loss against Australia in the quarterfinals, Victor Matfield humiliated the Australian lineout spoiling and stealing their ball at will. (Gallo Images)
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With five Currie Cup titles, three Super Rugby titles, two Tri Nations titles, a World Cup medal and series victory over the British and Irish Lions, as well as being nominated for the IRB player of the year award twice, and the second most capped Springbok of all time Victor Matfield might possibly be the most decorated Springbok of all time. (Gallo Images)
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In 2011 Victor Matfield published a book "Victor - My Journey" - a behind the scenes look detailing his playing career.
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Victor Matfield with the three women in his life: wife Monja Matfield and his two daughters Jaime and Giselle Matfield. (Gallo Images)
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As Victor Matfield walks out to captain the Barbarians against Australia he will bring the curtain down on one of the most prolific careers in Springbok history. (Gallo Images)
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