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Cape Town - Retiring Springbok lock Victor Matfield could captain the Barbarians against Australia in what will be his last international rugby match.
The Beeld newspaper reports that Matfield is a strong favourite to captain the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday.
He captained the team to victory in their previous clash against the All Blacks.
The lock also admitted that they won't be overexerting themselves in practice ahead of the game in which two other Springboks, Bryan Habana and Adriaan Strauss, will also be in action.
"There are a fair number of quality players. One thus doesn't need to practice too hard.
"The Barbarians have performed quite well over the last two years and won against the Springboks and the All Blacks. Now we have to try and beat the Wallabies too.
"There's a strong social aspect attached to the game and it makes the whole experience so much better," said Matfield.
Bakkies Botha - Matfield's lock partner at the Bulls and the Boks for many years - was initially picked to play alongside his friend in his final match but had to withdraw due to an Achilles injury which has hampered him since the World Cup in New Zealand.
England's Simon Shaw will take Botha's place.
Barbarians squad:
Sam Tomkins (England RL), Bryan Habana (South Africa), Isaia Toeava (New Zealand), Robbie Fruean (Crusaders/NZL), Stirling Mortlock (Australia), Richard Kahui (New Zealand), Seru Rabeni (Fiji), Danny Cipriani (England), Peter Stringer (Ireland), Nemia Kenatale (Fiji), Keven Mealamu (New Zealand), Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), Salvatore Perugini (Italy), Sylvain Marconnet (France), Eusebio Guinazu (Argentina), Victor Matfield (South Africa), Simon Shaw (England), Marco Bortolami (Italy), Jason White (Scotland), Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), Adam Thomson (New Zealand), Mauro Bergamasco (Italy).
The Beeld newspaper reports that Matfield is a strong favourite to captain the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday.
He captained the team to victory in their previous clash against the All Blacks.
The lock also admitted that they won't be overexerting themselves in practice ahead of the game in which two other Springboks, Bryan Habana and Adriaan Strauss, will also be in action.
"There are a fair number of quality players. One thus doesn't need to practice too hard.
"The Barbarians have performed quite well over the last two years and won against the Springboks and the All Blacks. Now we have to try and beat the Wallabies too.
"There's a strong social aspect attached to the game and it makes the whole experience so much better," said Matfield.
Bakkies Botha - Matfield's lock partner at the Bulls and the Boks for many years - was initially picked to play alongside his friend in his final match but had to withdraw due to an Achilles injury which has hampered him since the World Cup in New Zealand.
England's Simon Shaw will take Botha's place.
Barbarians squad:
Sam Tomkins (England RL), Bryan Habana (South Africa), Isaia Toeava (New Zealand), Robbie Fruean (Crusaders/NZL), Stirling Mortlock (Australia), Richard Kahui (New Zealand), Seru Rabeni (Fiji), Danny Cipriani (England), Peter Stringer (Ireland), Nemia Kenatale (Fiji), Keven Mealamu (New Zealand), Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), Salvatore Perugini (Italy), Sylvain Marconnet (France), Eusebio Guinazu (Argentina), Victor Matfield (South Africa), Simon Shaw (England), Marco Bortolami (Italy), Jason White (Scotland), Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), Adam Thomson (New Zealand), Mauro Bergamasco (Italy).
