Bakkies’ return imminent

Bakkies’ return imminent

6 Jun 2006

The rehabilitation of Springbok lock Bakkies Botha is going better than expected and he may even be available for the second Test against Scotland.

The towering No 4 lock can’t wait to get back on the park in the green and gold after watching his understudies struggle a little in the opening match of the international season at Ellis Park last weekend.

Botha injured a muscle next to his Achilles tendon in the Bulls semi-final loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch and was originally expected to miss all the Vodacom Incoming Tests in June.

Now it seems he has a 50/50 chance to be back to bolster the Bok pack for a match that no matter what happens in Durban will amount to a must win.

“I’m 50% for Scotland in PE, but I will definitely be ready for the France Test in Cape Town,” Botha told keo.co.za. “I’m flying to PE on Sunday to join the guys and I will train with them and we will re-assess it then.”

The giant second-rower is a vital cog – along with provincial team-mate Victor Matfield – in the Bok machine if they hope to keep up the good work of recent seasons.

Botha and Matfield’s presence was sorely missed against the World XV and the sooner they return to the fray the better. “The rehab has gone very well and I’ve been running and cycling and using elastic bands to stretch,” he said.

“I’m just thankful it wasn’t the tendon because they take so much longer to heal.” The 31-Test veteran and acknowledged hardman of the Springbok team adds a dimension to the Bok play that no other player in South Africa is capable of.

By Andrew Hollely


45 Comments

  • 1.jondood: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:06 pm

    BLOU MASJIEN

  • 2.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:09 pm

    yip, bakkies has shown he is the best no 4 in SA period.

  • 3.jondood: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:12 pm

    As long as our core players are ready for the Battle at Twickers I will be happy.

    cab

    You bought tickets for the game/s yet?

  • 4.Ig: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:13 pm

    Would have been good to see Ackers or Bekker fill in for the big fella…..

  • 5.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:14 pm

    jond,

    no, will either be in France or back in SA come the end of the year. Better not lose again.

    But have got tickets for the RWC2007, should be great. You?

  • 6.ktb: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:15 pm

    If the differential between our first choice and second choice locks is so great then the BOKS are in trouble. We will have to stay on our knees in fervant prayer, that neither matfield & bakkies get injured. The W.C. & our lock situation is critical.

  • 7.handbagslasher: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:17 pm

    we need some of the big guy’s go forward. the pack is just not as fired up without him, as if they are scared or something.

  • 8.jondood: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:19 pm

    cab

    I have not bought anything yet.

    Not sure where I will be come november.

  • 9.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:19 pm

    This site is like watching paint dry today.

    Yesterday’s story moved to the top and all the non stories moved in underneath.

    Gonna go out now and buy the Voice and read their take on Nick Mallet.

  • 10.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:24 pm

    Tuesdays is pay-by-the-hour day at the Monarchs.

  • 11.Ig: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:31 pm

    Heheheh Dawn

  • 12.Lo: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:31 pm

    Jondood, hopefully it will be in Tswane.

  • 13.Stan: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:33 pm

    Dis nogsteeds Pretoria.
    Die eerbare belastingbetaler het so besluit.

  • 14.banana boy: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:33 pm

    cab, jondood,

    wheres the best place to get tickets for twickers??

    The last time I looked you could only get those corporate type jobs that cost £500 a pop?

  • 15.jondood: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:36 pm

    banana boy

    I have not looked around but to my knowledge they are sold via certain rugby clubs.

    Do a google you should be able to find out.

    Stan

    Lo is net suur dat sy span so kak is.

  • 16.Phantom_badger: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:36 pm

    “no one else can do”

    Muff my ***. What about Johan Ackermann?

  • 17.banana boy: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:37 pm

    thanks jondood,

  • 18.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:39 pm

    banana boy,

    sorry my boet normally gets them with his connections, but think online through the twickenham website, yessus £500 is ridiculous.

    the RWC2007 tickets are available online through the official website, think the package we got was about £250 for 3 games, be worthwhile, good food and drink in France.

  • 19.Lo: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:40 pm

    Ek is suur omdat daardie dom f*kken slot van die bulls sy naam en SA se naam so krater gemaak het Saterdag.

  • 20.christo: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:43 pm

    They should rather rest him for the tri nations

  • 21.Deutsche_bok: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:44 pm

    Andrew , dont you think that Ackerman would have been perfect cover for the boks at the moment
    ???ßß

  • 22.Stan: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:44 pm

    Lo,
    As jy wil kakpraat, begin by jou nuttelose voorry.
    Hoeveel driee het die wonderlike JDV gedruk?
    Moenie n individu uitsonder nie, die span was kak.

  • 23.jondood: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:44 pm

    Lo

    You forgot to mention the WP prop and hooker.

    dom fok

  • 24.christo: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:50 pm

    No matter you think of Bakkies, when he and Schalk are not playing, the forwards struggle badly

  • 25.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 12:54 pm

    Christo

    I agree with you. One does’nt know what you have till they are not playing !

    However, i think Johan Ackermann is the perfect back-up for Bakkies. We are in desperate need of big strong players. Not a matchstick thin wannabe like Albert vd Berg.

  • 26.christo: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:00 pm

    I dont understand the facination with vd Berg I would rather go for Akkies,Skeate, Muller. I know Alister Haergreaves is still a youngster, but Bakkies/Akkies played with the big boys from 19 years old, its time for him to step up

  • 27.Deutsche_bok: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:00 pm

    I also believe that we have enough cover at lock but Jake did not include them in his squad
    for examlpe
    Francois van Schouwenburg,
    Johan Ackermann,Ross Skeate,

  • 28.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:06 pm

    Francois v Schouwenburg is a big man. He is 1,97 and weighs 118. Bakkies is 2,02 and also weighs 118.

    Heyneke is of the opinion that if it wasn’t for Francois’s fulltime studies, he would have been very close to the Green and Gold already. He now is a Dr but missed a lot of valuable years.

  • 29.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:07 pm

    Becker is 2,08. bliksem when he fills out in a year or so, a monstrosity of note.

  • 30.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:12 pm

    Cab

    Scary thought indeed.

  • 31.Veii: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:20 pm

    Bakkies is the best Lock in SA at this moment. He was mised against the world XV. He reminds me of Krynouw Otto.

  • 32.Kudu: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:25 pm

    Rudebud,

    What’s he studying ? Does that mean he attends classes in the day ? Prof. rugby requires your day time as well, doesn’t it ?

    Bakkies, is our best nr. 4, however Danie Rossouw is a stuff-up. Ackers or Bekker would have been a better option.

  • 33.gecko: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:29 pm

    On the other thread Davids is ripped for being 120kgs

    World Cup tickets (UK zone)

    http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/RugbyWorldCup/southafrica.html

  • 34.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:32 pm

    Kudu

    Francois graduated last year as a Doctor. He studied full time at Tuks and managed to play for the Bulls. That takes some doing and tells me a lot about the measure of the man.

  • 35.Andrew: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:33 pm

    Duetsche_Bok -

    Yes I do. Think he should have been involved from the beginning of the camp in Bloem…

  • 36.Kudu: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:34 pm

    Rudebud,

    Very impressive. Respect for the man….

    At least he has made provision for life after rugby….

  • 37.katman: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 13:35 pm

    “Botha injured a muscle next to his Achilles tendon”

    Yes, he warned that muscle to get the **** away.

  • 38.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 14:33 pm

    How about the following pack to trial against the boks.

    1. Lensing 2. Brits 3. Visagie
    4. Ackerman 5. Becker
    6. Watson 7. Cronje 8. Spies

  • 39.brains_trust: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 14:46 pm

    Bakkies is glad that the Chuck Norris jokes have come to an end….

  • 40.katman: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 15:34 pm

    cab, I’d leave out Cronje and include Botes. And then I reckon they’d murder our pack.

  • 41.cab: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 15:39 pm

    katman, like Botes too, but if Watson and Brits are in the same pack, need to complement with some of the big boys.

  • 42.leeanthonyw: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 16:17 pm

    White has to blood Danie Rossouw. At the expense of getting annihated, is his nickname paklsae?
    I personaly would have had AJ/Ackerman as a backup lock duop

  • 43.folanke: Reply to this comment
    6 Jun 2006, 17:37 pm

    I wonder if anyone is in position to help me out ?
    I need a few stats on Freestate rugby, specifically their whole record against overseas opposition…as I am stuck in China, I can’t get a hold of it anywhere !
    Nothing on the net…
    If any info mail me at folanke@hotmail.com
    Thanks

    Frank

  • 44.Methos: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2006, 14:41 pm

    Cab

    Bekker is already @ 120 kg

    Cheers

  • 45.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    8 Jun 2006, 14:11 pm

    Bakkies at his best is brilliant. But everyone knows by now that Bakkies plays absolutely crappily akkies for 4 out 5 games and he produces a sporadic peach of a game mostly when there’s absolutely nothing at stake.

    When called to do duty in the rugby action that really matters, Bakkies is always AWOL.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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