Rugby World Cup 2015: Humble pursuit of master's jersey

ood de Jager says he has learned much from 125-test veteran Victor Matfield. Photo / Getty Images

Lood de Jager, all 22 years of him, was wise and humble about the competition for the No 5 Springbok jersey between him and a legend 16 years his elder.

Victor Matfield, having been coaxed out of retirement with the World Cup in mind, has found himself played out of the team by the young Cheetah, who has played 110 fewer tests than Matfield, the record holder on 125.

De Jager finds the situation a touch embarrassing. It is not that long ago that he was a school boy at Hugenote in Springs, hero-worshipping Matfield.

"I wouldn't say I'm in a battle against Victor for the jersey," he said.

"Nobody owns the No 5 jersey. If I am picked this week, I will do that jersey justice to the best of my ability, and Victor will support me in any way he can. If it is the other way around, the same applies.

"It is about the Springboks, it is about South Africa, not individuals, and Victor has taught me so much during this World Cup. It has been a privilege to learn from a master."

De Jager said the wise old heads in the Springbok team, Matfield included, had shown him the way in test rugby.

"The senior guys guide you more than anything," he said.

"You go into the game with a lot of emotion because you are still young. You have a lot of fire in the belly and not a lot of focus in the mind, and the seniors direct you and you just go.

"It's nice playing with and learning from them. You don't have to do a lot of thinking but a lot of listening."

De Jager has made the most tackles in the tournament, a total of 50, and it is just one of the reasons he has become undroppable despite Matfield's return from injury.

"It's an honour for me to have that record, I was not aware of it," he said. "I just go into the game looking to make as many tackles as I can. It is not something you think about during the game - if the opposition has the ball and is in front of you, you make the tackle. I guess it is about working hard to get yourself into the thick of the action."

An unwanted record for De Jager and the Springboks is that they conceded more penalties than any of the other 19 teams in the pool stages.

"It's a big issue and we have put a lot of emphasis on it," he said.

"I think they are stupid penalties and there are one or two things we can eliminate quickly."