Matfield gets that saintly look
Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:36
Pondering the future: Bok lock Victor Matfield
World Cup-winning Springbok lock Victor Matfield is almost certain to sign for newly-promoted Northampton Saints from French club Toulon.
According to the BBC website, the 30-year-old second row forward, who is also a target for the Bulls in South Africa, has already met the Saints management and visited Franklin's Gardens.
Saints chairperson Keith Barwell told BBC Radio Northampton: "We hope to make announcements on people who might be coming, like Victor for instance.
"However, they won't all say yes," Barwell warned.
Matfield - who was Man of the Match in last year's World Cup Final, which saw South Africa beat England 15-6 - is playing in the French Second Division (Pro D2) with Toulon, but the 30-year-old is on a six-month deal only.
The Saints, who won promotion back into the English top flight after just one second in the Second Division, have announced a rash of new signings in recent weeks.
Argentinian international Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe has signed for the club and will arrive at Franklin's Gardens later this year. Lobbe will join from Sale Sharks, where he has played for the last four seasons.
Saints Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder recently revealed that the new signings are going to keep on coming at Franklin's Gardens in the off season.
The Saints boss has already recruited nine new players as he prepares for life in the Premiership, but he said there will be more to come.
"I think we still need to keep strengthening," Mallinder told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.
"We are really pleased with the signings we have made, but we are still working on a couple at this moment in time.
"We all know recruitment is ongoing, and we won't just stop. We have a few players we have pinpointed and that may take a bit of time to get them here.
"We are looking for forwards, we are looking for somebody in the middle of the line-out who can contribute, and probably a little bit more cover in the back row."
