Brendan Gallagher comment: A fittingly Olympian venue for these sporting giants to bid their farewells

It was all about farewells at the Olympic Park on Friday night, as the latter stages of a World Cup often are. New stars are born but others take their final curtain.
Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe went off to a thunderous ovation and as he trotted to the touchline caught the eye of old fellow old timer Schalk Burger (right) and gave him the thumbs up.
What a player and what an inspirational figure he has been for the Pumas during their long and successful fight for recognition
His departure from the Test arena saw Twitter light up in praise from the rugby family around the rugby world. His talent and warrior spirit are universally appreciated Meanwhile Burger, playing his last World Cup game for sure and probably his final Test, came and went twice. As with Lobbe he initially trotted off to widespread applause but then an injury saw him come back for an unscheduled cameo before he made a second exit. This amused him hugely and he bowed theatrically to mark the occasion.
The burly blond flanker has overstepped the mark occasionally during his Test career, an angel he ain’t, but my God he has put in a shift for the Boks over the years.
And he departs on a high.  At this World Cup alone he has made 95 carries and 74 tackles and taking his career as a whole I’ve never seen a more physical player.
In his dotage we have also seen much more of his underrated handling game. Some of his passes and off-loads are sublime. There has always been much more to Schalk Burger than meets the eye and his courage and determination in fighting back from serious illness to resume his Test career demonstrated clearly the inner man.
Victor Matfield, also saying farewell, had, before the game, sat at the end of the pitch by the advertising boards for five minutes just drinking the scene in – a truly Olympian figure at the appropriate venue of Olympic Park.
Victor has retired once before of course – after the 2011 World Cup – but this time it really is it, well for Tests anyway.
He returned a couple of years ago because the Boks were badly missing him and the feeling was mutual and until a bad hamstring struck this summer was pretty much the same dominant Matfield who has bossed lineouts worldwide for a decade or more. He has struggled a little with that injury this autumn although with Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager around he can rest easy. Boks’ second row dynasty is secured.
Bryan Habana also exited the World Cup stage having scored 15 tries in his three tournaments to equal Jonah Lomu’s total. He desperately chased a 16th but the rugby gods were having none of it and they are right. A shared record is entirely appropriate.
Finally, adios to a couple of stalwart Puma. Juan Manuel Leguizamon hasn’t been a starter for a while but has been a hell of a player. His hit which vaporised Sebastien Chabal eight years ago is still be the best of its sort in World Cup history even if, ridiculously, it earned a yellow.
And let’s not forget Horacio Agulla. The dapper wing, with the demeanour of a lawyer who has lunched too well, is as tough as old boots and has been a superb Pumas servant.
Before the game last night he was tweeting emotionally about how privileged he felt to have been part of the Pumas side at the last three World Cups. He has a fine story to tell and Test career to reflect on.