Old warrior Victor Matfield ready to serve South Africa

When Victor Matfield decided to drag his battered body out of retirement last year, it was an occasion such as Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final that persuaded him to take that long, hard and often painful road back to fitness.

The imposing lock looked every day of his 38-and-a-half years, complete with greying beard, in the shock defeat by Japan at the start of the pool stage and then damaged a hamstring in the second game against Samoa.

Many observers thought that might be the end for Matfield, but he has worked hard on his rehabilitation and was named among the replacements yesterday for the semi-final at Twickenham, where he will win his 126th cap.