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Cape Town - 2007 Rugby World Cup finalist Matt Stevens, who played for England against his native South Africa in the trophy decider in France, believes the two sides could meet again in this year’s final.
“There’s definitely a chance that the Springboks could play England in the final, although my head says the All Blacks are still favourites,” Stevens says on tonight’s episode of The Dan Nicholl Show, airing at 7pm on SuperSport 8 on Wednesday night. “They’re both playing some really great rugby, and if that is the final, I don’t really lose either way.”
The South African-born prop also recalls that 2007 final, where the “dinner plate hand of Bakkies Botha” made its presence felt on the man who played in two World Cups, and earned 39 caps for England. “There was an emptiness when we lost that final that’s difficult to explain,” Stevens recalls. “But I asked Jonny Wilkinson about the feeling of winning the World Cup (in 2003), and surprisingly it wasn’t that different.”
Stevens explains why, and reveals his new life working at Boschendal wine estate in the Cape, alongside one of South Africa’s newest sports stars – endure motorbike rider Kirsten Landman, who heads off to take on the Dakar in January, a race no South African woman has taken part in before.
“I always said I’d never do the Dakar,” Landman explains, “but now it’s a challenge I’m really excited to take on. It’s going to be incredibly tough, with long hours over a challenging route, and I’m just hoping to finish the race.”
Landman is also hoping to inspire South African girls. “Hopefully this will show that there’s nothing girls can’t do, and that they can be every bit as good, if not better, than boys.”
The third guest on the show is comedian, television presenter and recent addition to the Kaya FM breakfast show, Jason Goliath.
This week also sees host Dan Nicholl join former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers in Nairobi for a visit to Laureus Sport For Good project Box Girls, and offer viewers the chance to play in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Simola.
The Dan Nicholl Show is presented by BrightRock, and premieres every Wednesday night at 7pm on SuperSport 8. The show is also available on ShowMax, Catch-up and DSTV Now.
