Bittersweet for BJ
15 May 2006
Sharks prop BJ Botha – one of five newcomers to the Springbok squad announced on Saturday – experienced a range of mixed rugby emotions this weekend.
After watching the Stormers capitulate in the face of a massive Bulls onslaught at Newlands that saw the Sharks dumped out of the Vodacom Super 14 semi-finals by the narrowest of margins, Botha was tempted to switch off the television.
Luckily he didn’t because he learned moments later – along with the rest of the country – that despite reports that Bok coach Jake White had dismissed his claims to a place in the training squad he had earned a national call-up.
“I was watching with my family and just couldn’t believe when the Bulls managed to get the points they needed,” Botha told keo.co.za. “I was so disappointed I just wanted to turn the TV off.”
“Next thing I know I’m in the Bok squad and I’m over the moon. It actually all took a little while to sink in. Then I realised what a great honour it was to be included in the squad. We opened a bottle of champagne and had a few drinks,” he said.
Botha, who prefers do let his ability on the field do the talking, admitted that on the performance at Newlands the Bulls deserved to go through. “Good luck to the Bulls, I will be supporting them this weekend. I know it was close, but it is our fault we did not qualify. we should have been in a position where we didn’t need other teams to help us.”
The tighthead prop is under no illusion though that he has finally arrived. He realises that with 44 other players in the squad the competition for places in the trimmed down selection will start as soon as he sets foot in Bloemfontein.
“It’s not really Boks yet. It’s now up to the individuals to step up to the plate and show we can play. I’m sure Jake will be checking out a few combinations. I just want to go and do my best.”
White is expected to trim the squad to 32 for the Vodacom Incoming Tests against Scotland (two) and France (one) in a few weeks. Botha is prepared to work his socks off to make that final squad.
By Andrew Hollely
35 Comments
15 May 2006, 06:10 am
Go you Dragon!
Where is BJ from? Hope he can make it all the way…
15 May 2006, 06:59 am
Happy for him ,but I have been watching the last few games and cant see whatall the fuss is about this guy.
He looks fine and I was never a prop but he just does not stand out as so incredible for me. Scrumming well is very important but not the only thing. I await the onslaughts.
15 May 2006, 07:03 am
Congrats to this guy, good player and very consistent throughout the year.
15 May 2006, 07:07 am
He’s from Durban and went to DHS
15 May 2006, 07:15 am
Na he dont make da cut,but good luck to da guy.
15 May 2006, 07:27 am
Pity the poor man with a nickname like BJ, hey?
15 May 2006, 07:30 am
Tackler if a lion klls and eats you up he will **** out 3 *******.
15 May 2006, 07:43 am
Thanks kyle
15 May 2006, 07:43 am
Bliksem. Hehehehehe…
You flippin hilarious early on a Monday!!
15 May 2006, 07:47 am
Andrew keep your comments to yourself and shove the smilie up your arse.Plank.
15 May 2006, 07:57 am
Well done BJ! This guy, I think portrays what Jake White means by putting up your hand and keeping it there!
15 May 2006, 07:58 am
You dont like Andrew ,Bliksem?
15 May 2006, 08:01 am
bliksem
I assume by your early morning crankiness you were unable to find Kurt’s hiding place this weekeend?
Let me give you a tip “Never go out with a loaded gun”.
15 May 2006, 08:01 am
ddrek,smilies are so *** and that oke are from CT so i am just getting the message across strong and early.ddrek have you been t Split Apple Rock?I am going there in Dec.kayak tour I took last dec started way past it.Gonna do a halfday paddle from Kaiteriteri.
15 May 2006, 08:01 am
Bliksem,
…
15 May 2006, 08:03 am
ddrek – Bliksem loves Simon…
15 May 2006, 08:03 am
PS Bliksem -
I live in Joburg…
Plank.
15 May 2006, 08:05 am
Andrew are you the journo Andrew of keo?
15 May 2006, 08:06 am
Bliksem I recon Andrew was juat trying to be nice to you and not being sarcastic…
15 May 2006, 08:16 am
Yes I work for Keo.
15 May 2006, 08:17 am
Cheers manne ek moet veld toe.
15 May 2006, 08:59 am
**** Bliksem ,Im from Cape Town ! Left 6 years ago but still love the place (sorry that’s ***)
But will you still kayak with me if you come over to Hawaii?
No ive never heard of those places….but my mom in law lives on a boat in the bay of islands and we are due over there sooner or later.
I’ll think before smilies ,man,you’re right ,they are very ***!
15 May 2006, 09:15 am
Bliksem you are such an arse
No-one is particularly interested that you are going on holiday to NZ.
15 May 2006, 10:20 am
kyle,
bj went to kloof high and did a post matric at DHS so he could get into a rugby club, because its virtually impossible to get into the clubs if you come from the wrong high school
15 May 2006, 11:20 am
this guy deserves to be there, not a big chirper, but has played great rugby for the sharks over the last couple of seasons. Some of the others can take note.
15 May 2006, 11:25 am
Hi cab
agree re bj botha, he really lets his play do the talking.
what do you think of the cats reserve scrumhalf janno vermaak, he really looked good in his last two matches.
15 May 2006, 12:28 pm
Yet Another Game of Two Halves -
It’s been quite amazing how many Super 14 games we’ve had this year where the games have almost completely changed complexion after the half-time whistle. For the first half it was all the Sharks, almost everything they tried came off. In the second half the Sharks virtually fell to bits and the Force were only just denied a second win in their inaugural season.
For me the biggest surprise by far was the way the Force forwards simply took over the Sharks pack. Probably, somewhere deep down, the Sharks thought the game was in the bag and they looked like getting their bonus point, and they unconsciously shut up shop.
This season the Sharks have been a very balanced side both forwards and backs…it came as quite a shock to see their pack taken to the cleaners by some new country kids from way out the back of the world.
I hope Jake White has been watching how this new breed of lightweight, speedy SA wingers have taken to scoring tries. The tired old fashioned big fellas have had their time……..it’s the fellas who are actually doing the business that should get the Bok jerseys. The Sharks have been an excellent example of how the modern game should be played. They’ve bitten the bullet, chucked out the tired old has-beens, and brought in some youth to be guided by the old heads who are still doing the job. Gone is the emphasis of brutal forward play…they’ve gone for a balanced team, both forwards and backs. This is the way ahead, 15 man rugby. It will be interesting to see what Jake does. So far, the only changes he’s made, is to copy everything Headmaster Henry has done, I wonder if he has any imagination of his own inside his head.
And a bit about the new boys. I think most fans will have a warm feeling towards the Force from far-a-way Perth. They came into this incredibly tough comp with a bunch of cast-offs, never heard offs, a thrown out Coach, but an incredible spirit to get some sort of Franchise off the barren ground. They’ve had a wonderful year, and next year I expect they will finish no worse than half-way down the Points Log. They are a bit different to the Cheetahs because the latter already had a structure in place, that was already well established. It has been quite remarkable watching these no-names develop, and I think their front row must be singled out as something special. I had vaguely heard of David Fitter, but he clearly wasn’t front page stuff….the other two might have been living in Mars so far as rugby is concerned. Early on in the season, the forwards were going well but the backs were simply incredibly bad ! However, they’ve plugged away and by Round 14 they’ve become a very credible bunch of players. I think the Force deserves a special mention for 2006.
The Sharks have managed to do something that very few people thought possible. From a bunch of hacks last year they have developed well all season and now look to be easily the best balanced SA side. It will be a huge boost for Natal and SA rugby to have the Sharks contesting the semis. It will also be a just reward for the Sharks management in taking the route they did…….not everyone thought it would work, but they’re the first team to lead SA into the new era of rugby, that is, there are backs in a rugby team as well as forwards.
Sharks……….Tries by Britz, Botes, Pietersen, Ndungane 2 .
Percy kicked
5c 2p 41 points.
Force…………Tries by Fava, Ioane, Shepherd 2 .
Shepherd kicked 1c 1p. 25 points.
Ref…………….Paul Honiss……….his usual steady job………8/10.
Obviously written before the lamentable result
E-mail your comments to me at Norsyd@Ihug.co.nz
15 May 2006, 12:34 pm
All Natal front row – Carstens , Barney , Brandon Botha (not boorta)
15 May 2006, 14:08 pm
Oh Hell, A Kloof High Bok. The world is coming to a miserable end.
At least he’s originally a Free Stater.
15 May 2006, 15:10 pm
jonnow actually drek mentioned a while aga that he spent 7 months there and that he is into kayaking,hence my question about Abel Tasman.
15 May 2006, 16:05 pm
Bliksem
I apologize, please feel free to tell us all about your planned trips to New Zealand.
I am still in a **** grumpy mood from saturday evening.
15 May 2006, 17:18 pm
I’m so sick of love songs.
15 May 2006, 19:09 pm
Was at DHS with this guy was a matric and i was 1st yr boy was he big and flip could he scrum! I remember plenty of looseheads really getting smashed!
Glad he is in the Bok team he has come throught the ranks of sharksrugby, Natal Schools, Collegians, SA U21 and Natal Wildebeest and now the Sharks!
15 May 2006, 21:17 pm
Good on the lad, may he take over tighthead from Eddie Andrews with immediate effect.
17 May 2006, 19:30 pm
Brendon James (BJ) Botha is originally from Kloof High and then matriculated at DHS. He is a close friend and EXCELLENT rugby player, not being biased – but he is! He deserves his place in the squad and I hope that he makes it and proves to all of you just how much heart and commitment he has. This is just the start for him! Go Bren.
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