Victor Matfield expects to have some “fun on the park” when he partners fellow South Africa second row great Bakkies Botha for the final time in a senior club match when the pair join up with the Barbarians next week.
Rugby Union’s most famous invitational club, the Barbarians are in their 125th anniversary year and will mark the occasion with games against Gloucester at Kingsholm on November 17 and World Cup semi-finalists Argentina at Twickenham four days later.
Matfield and Botha, the engine room of the Springbok side that won the 2007 World Cup final, amassed 212 caps between them and appeared together as South Africa’s locks a record 63 times.
The 38-year-old Matfield won the last of his 127 caps in the Springboks’ World Cup third-place play-off win over Argentina and, after his latest stint with the Barbarians, will see out the European season with English Premiership side Northampton.
Botha, by contrast, retired from Test rugby in 2014 and next week’s matches for the Barbarians are set to mark his final appearances as a professional player.
“This will be the last time we play together properly,” said Matfield in a Barbarians statement.
“I suppose there might be a golden oldies (veterans) game in the future. Some might say we’re golden oldies already.
“I haven’t seen Bakkies much recently and I don’t know how fit he is but it doesn’t matter how many minutes he plays for, they’ll know he’s been on the pitch. It’ll be great to spend time with him and have some fun on the park.”
Matfield has twice before played for the Barbarians, including the club’s 2009 win over New Zealand when his Springbok team-mate Bryan Habana scored a hat-trick of tries.
Next week’s squad contains six World Cup finalists, including New Zealand wing Nehe Milner Skudder.
“The thing with the Barbarians is that it’s about going back to why we started playing the game and why we love it,” said Matfield.
“It’s about expressing yourself on the pitch and doing it with your mates.
“These days in the professional era you don’t get the chance to mingle, but with the Barbarians you play with very good players who you’re normally playing against and it’s an amazing experience.
“Every time I’ve been involved it’s been unbelievable.”