In the statement released by the Sharks, Bismarck du Plessis apologised for his behaviour.

JOHANNESBURG - Cell C Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis has apologised to Blue Bulls lock Victor Matfield for his behaviour and actions against him during Saturday's Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

The match between the Sharks and the Blue Bulls proved to be a physical encounter which was contested passionately by the respective teams on the day.

On reflection, Bismarck realised that he acted inappropriately with his choice of language used and released a statement on Thursday evening, apologising for his out-burst during the game.

In the statement released by the Sharks, du Plessis said he was sorry.

"I am blessed to be able to play the game I love professionally and by my very competitive nature, whenever I take to the field, I play the game hard and always strive to play fairly. Sometimes during heated exchanges one finds it difficult to control emotions and as a result things get said, which we are not proud of." Watch: The clash between Bismarck du Plessis and Victor Matfield

He added, "What I said on Saturday, which was clearly visible especially to the youngsters watching was inappropriate and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone that I let down."

He went on to thank his supporters for always being there for him and that he would like to remain an inspiration to his younger fans.

"I always strive to be a good role-model for the youngsters out there and I thank our fans for their invaluable support."