Former Springbok lock Victor Matfield has named his all-time South Africa Test line-up, which includes 12 players from the 2007 World Cup-winning squad.

Selecting his best of the best on the latest installment of RugbyPass Offload, Matfield’s dream team includes two former World Player of the Year winners and a two-time World Cup champion, along with two current SA internationals.

Including himself in the standout XV, the 127-Test-capped Bok picked John Smit ahead of a prime Bismarck du Plessis at hooker, while he surprisingly favoured Schalk Burger at No 8 over former Vodacom Bulls teammate Pierre Spies.

“It’s touch and go between Os du Randt and the Beast [Tendai Mtawarira] but just because I played more games with him, I have to go with Os du Randt,” Matfield says.

“Hooker, same thing. John Smit, my captain. Bismarck du Plessis is the best hooker I played with but all the best things I won; John Smit was there so I am going to go with John at No 2.

“In the second row … I need to go with a combo with myself and Bakkies [Botha] – although I think that Eben Etzebeth is probably the best lock that the world has ever seen.

“And No 8, Pierre Spies was unbelievable, but you need to have Schalk Burger in your team so if I don’t pick Schalk Burger at openside, I am picking Schalk at eight. He developed into that player in his career as well.

“At the beginning of his career, he just wanted to smash into everything and everyone. At the end of his career, he just had that skill of being that first receiver, playing options in front, and behind and he just had a beautiful skill set but he still had an engine. So Schalk is at eight.”

Victor Matfield’s all-time Springbok XV – 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 John Smit, 1 Os du Randt.