Cape Town - Springbok lock Victor Matfield will be instrumental on and off the field when he joins Northampton Saints, the English club’s Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder believes.
Northampton on Tuesday announced the signing of Matfield ahead of the 2015/16 season. He will join them after the conclusion of this year’s Rugby World Cup.
“Victor is one of the outstanding forwards in world rugby,” Mallinder told the club’s official website. “He has been at the top of the game for well over a decade now and his selection by South Africa for a fourth consecutive World Cup shows that he remains a force to be reckoned with.
“We’re very much looking forward to Victor joining up with the squad and believe he has a lot to offer the club, not only on the field, but also off it in terms of his leadership qualities and experience.”
Matfield - who also spent time in the French Top 14 with Toulon - is looking forward to a new challenge.
“It is an honour for me to join the Northampton Saints,” he said. “Seven years ago Saints very nearly became my rugby home and I feel privileged to be given another opportunity to join the club.
“I join Saints to make the best contribution I possibly can and I have a genuine desire to hopefully play an instrumental role in a team effort, with the aim of lifting silverware in both the Aviva Premiership and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
“For now I will focus only on the Springboks' campaign to win the Rugby World Cup but I am very excited about the journey with Saints from November onwards.”