Victor Matfield has concurred with former teammate John Smit’s view that rugby will never be 100% safe.
In a Vodacom United Rugby Championship round-table media discussion, Smit said he had understood the risk that comes with playing rugby from the moment he picked up a ball.
MORE: ‘Rugby will never be 100% safe’
The former Springbok captain welcomed the interventions put in place by World Rugby to mitigate those risks, but warned against over-sanitising the game.
“I agree with John,” said Matfield on social media. “In my case [I] played [for] 20 years and believe my body [is] in better shape than most 45-year-olds not training at all.
In the words of Heyneke Meyer " Dancing is a contact sport. Rugby is a collision sport" . There was nothing better than seeing Bakkies Botha inflicting pain!! https://t.co/LjUx2CHyua
— Victor matfield (@VictorMatfield) October 8, 2022
“Love the game with all its risks.
“In the words of Heyneke Meyer: ‘Dancing is a contact sport, rugby is a collision sport’.
“There was nothing better than seeing Bakkies Botha inflicting pain.”
Photo: David Rodgers/Getty Images
