Victor Matfield’s five toughest opponents: The All Black who was a ‘pain’, the Irishman who was ‘in his head’ and the ‘horrible’ Englishman

Legendary Springboks lock Victor Matfield picks the opponents who made him work, and saves the highest praise for England’s Simon Shaw.

The finest lineout technician of the professional era has gone back through the men who changed the feel of his week, from Jerry Collins to Richie McCaw but the one he keeps circling back to is the England lock who had to wait until he was 35 for a Lions Test.

“There were players I respected enormously,” the former Springboks captain told The Rings History Pod.

“Some because they could hurt you, some because they could outthink you, and a