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IF not for one phone call, Victor Matfield would be coaching the Waratahs this weekend.
Instead, the Springbok and Bulls legend runs out to play them at Allianz Stadium on Saturday in a match pivotal to the finals chances of both franchises.
The irony is not lost upon the 36-year-old lock, who will go down as one of the greatest forwards to have played the game.
"It is funny how things work out," says Matfield, who retired at the end of the 2011 World Cup with ambitions to coach.
He has finally revealed how close he came to a spectacular stint at the Tahs.
"In rugby you can sometimes get caught up in doing the same thing, being in the same environment, so it's good to get out of that if you can," Matfield says.
"It was two years ago, I was ready to move to Sydney.
"They [NSW] spoke to me about coming here and doing the forwards coaching job.
"It was a great opportunity, I thought I would do it."
Victor Matfield (fourth from left) takes part in a sprint drill at a Bulls training session. Source: News Corp Australia
But his beloved Bulls did not want to lose Matfield's immense intellectual property and after calling him with a job offer of their own, the Tahs missed out on South Africa's most capped lock (110 Tests).
"The Bulls also offered me a coaching role, and they will always be my first priority so I took that up," Matfield said.
But after two years as a forwards coach, and with an injury crisis and mass exodus hitting the Pretorian team, Matfield decided to make a sensational return to rugby this year as a player-coach.
"People said to me, 'You're crazy, you will ruin your legacy'," Matfield smiles.
"I thought I would only play two or three games.
"But I am enjoying it, and I want to be part of a winning team."
And it appears Matfield is firmly in the Springboks' plans, revealing that he signed a two-year contract with the Bulls because South African coach Heyneke Meyer asked him to make a playing return, which gives him an opportunity to compete at his fourth World Cup next year.
Matfield snaffles a lineout throw at the top of his jump during training. Source: News Corp Australia
"That is the only reason I came back, to hopefully play more games for my country," Matfield says.
"Heyneke asked me to come back, so hopefully there is another World Cup there for me."
For now though, there are more pressing matters at hand.
Matfield and his Bulls must defeat the Waratahs to get back into the top half of the ladder and end a three-game winless streak.
The tourists received good news on Monday when captain Flip van der Merwe was cleared of a bicep injury.
But the Bulls also fully expect NSW star Israel Folau to return this weekend after he was withdrawn by the ARU from last weekend's loss to Western Force over concerns regarding his injured throat.
"We have looked at how the Force played against them, we have looked at how the Sharks played against them, but we also have looked at how they've played in the games they've done well in," Matfield said.
"They were missing their star man last week, and he will make a huge difference for them this week."
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