Butch: I’m open to coming home

Butch: I’m open to coming home

29 Jan 2008

Butch James would consider returning to South Africa if he felt he had a crack at being in the Springbok mix.

Despite his assertions to the contrary it is believed Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will meet with European-based World Cup winning Springboks to talk about the possibility of returning to play in South Africa. De Villiers departs on February 8 to Europe.

James, the Springbok World Cup winning flyhalf, is currently in the early stages of a two-year deal with English Premiership club Bath. His form has been superb and has been central to their push for league honours.

James said he was “loving” his time at Bath, but conceded that an approach from De Villiers could be very appealing if the conditions were right.

“If I knew I had an opportunity to continue my international career for a couple years more I would consider it. I think I’m still good enough and I’d always be open to an approach. So if Peter could assure me of that, it would make it very hard to say no.”

James said the Sharks, for whom he played his entire professional career in South Africa, would be his first choice franchise should he return, but quickly added: “That’s only if they want me back.” The 28-year-old has had a series of knee injuries which have stifled his career, but seems to have moved past that difficult period.

He was last injured on the Springboks’ 2006 year-end tour to England and Ireland, but recovered to play the entire 2007 Super 14 and Tri-Nations (he was rested for the Australasian leg) and was the first choice pivot at the World Cup. But that streak came to an end on Sunday when he dislocated his shoulder in the process of scoring a try against Saracens. Bath looked rudderless without their general and succumbed to two Brent Russell tries, losing 26-20.

“I’m going for a scan tonight but it looks like anything from six to 12 weeks out of the game,” he said. “That’s really frustrating because I think I was playing some of the best rugby of my career.

“If it’s six weeks that’s not so bad because the Six Nations starts this weekend which would mean I wouldn’t miss any [Premiership] games but 12 weeks would be a killer because I want to play a major part in the team’s push for the title.”

Bath are currently placed third, just five points off leaders Gloucester.

By Ryan Vrede


549 Comments

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  • 151.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:33 pm

    rangerman

    For the first time … you’re wrong!

    I miss them like a hole in the head.

  • 152.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:35 pm

    Who is the new webbie nerd.

  • 153.myball: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:39 pm

    Ryan…. None of the sort was ever said by Butch – this story holds absolutely no truth in it whatsoever! A very missleading article!! Maybe get hold of the man for comment!

  • 154.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:39 pm

    ok dawnie!
    i just threw that in there as a tester. i see you are unmoved and unmoveable so i shall cease and desist!

  • 155.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:40 pm

    myball
    whats your source?

  • 156.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:42 pm

    got tickets for kingsmead on friday! whohhhhhoooooo!

  • 157.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:42 pm

    #155 His ball of course!

  • 158.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:43 pm

    Whoops Ryan

    The company-owned Corsa Lite is no longer available to you, please take pay cut as from end February.

  • 159.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:44 pm

    #156 Got tickets for Wanderers :-D

  • 160.myball: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:44 pm

    Butch himself.

  • 161.Isigidi: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:45 pm

    Wooooooooooo

    Sweating there Ryan?
    So IG, why don’t you get hold of Ryan and ask him what he was smoking when he wrote this column.

    Myball says he’s talking kak, just as I thought.

  • 162.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:45 pm

    You know him personally Myball?

  • 163.umbhoxoswede: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:46 pm

    It’s gonna be tough for Peter to guarantee him a place, when he openly stated that no one is guaranteed a place, and will be judged on form. So all depends on how Butch plays when he comes back from injury, and if Peter will be able to select overseas players later on. Guaranteeing Butch as spot would go against what he has said and would be unfair on any number 10 who is performing well and has set his sights on a Bok call up.

  • 164.umbhoxoswede: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:47 pm

    3 more nights on Swedish soil, looking forward to the warmth of SA.

  • 165.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:50 pm

    kwagga
    enjoy the wanderers and be sure to bid polly farewell! gonna be an emotional day (for the ladies of course) at kingsmead on friday!

    myball
    what part is kuk? is butch interested in coming back to SA? is he only interested in the boks?
    what is he thinking about when he has that vacant look on his face? uh…..thats it for now.

  • 166.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:51 pm

    As we speak Ryan is being dragged kicking and screaming to the Tudor Hotel (pay-by-the-hour) for a lobotomy.

  • 167.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:52 pm

    umbhoxo
    its not warm, its sweltering! sunscreen and a hat mate, thats my advice after your sunless swedish sojourn.

  • 168.Tripple E: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:52 pm

    halloooo everyone…….C’mon Ig, bring back GBS and Cuzzy!!!! You are leaving in any case so what do you care? and weren’t you and GBS mates at sum stage?

  • 169.Tripple E: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:53 pm

    #166 LOL

  • 170.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:53 pm

    they do lobotomies there too dawn?

  • 171.vloervreter: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:54 pm

    That vacant look – hahahahaha – must be the Ritalin kicking in.

    Bet yah my bottom dollar Butch was a blerrie busy child, must have given his mom a few gray hairs.

    But he’s goooooooood.

  • 172.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:54 pm

    myball

    You can’t just come on here and say a story is kuk without counter argument.

    Back up your statement with something concrete.

    Otherwise I will ban you.

  • 173.myball: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:55 pm

    Ryan… an absolute load of kak! Get hold of Butch for comment. He’s not happy!

  • 174.Tripple E: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:55 pm

    171…Am in full agreement, have always liked him and it was just a pity he lost the way for a few years when his judgement failed him, but man he can play

  • 175.Isigidi: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:56 pm

    umbhoxoswede

    This game ranger entertains a Swedish group in the park and afterwards a young attractive Swedish girl started getting friendly with him.
    One thing leads to another and eventually rangerman, with an appetite of a lion was doing his thing.
    The girl struggles to keep up with rangerman and eventually whispered: I’m finish, I’m finish!
    To which rangerman replies: Don’t lie to me, you’re Swedish!

  • 176.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:56 pm

    Myball = Butch James

  • 177.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:56 pm

    ja gb…sorry vloervreter!
    you know the look i am talking about.
    but he is good. ek stem saam.

  • 178.Tripple E: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:56 pm

    171 – anyway miles better and more solid than AP

  • 179.myball: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:57 pm

    What more do you want than a phone call!

  • 180.vloervreter: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:58 pm

    rangerdude,

    Yeah, I know the “vacant” look you’re talking about, your comment was blerrie funny though.

  • 181.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:59 pm

    lol isigidi!
    n my time as a rangerman, there were a few young “imports” but……dis nou ‘n ander storie!

  • 182.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 13:59 pm

    Nou spat die kak!!

  • 183.happyhooker2: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:00 pm

    #165 & 171
    The vacant look = when the voices in his head are back…

  • 184.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:01 pm

    rangerman

    The Monarchs have a room set aside just for lobotomies on errant bloggers and journos.

  • 185.KWAGGA ROBERTSE: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:01 pm

    Dis daai kyk soos n hond wat skyt……..kyk ver maar sien fukol!!

  • 186.Isigidi: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:01 pm

    Baai for now!
    The troops are far to quite to my liking. Time to kick some arse.

  • 187.Namblack: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:02 pm

    GBS: I`m open to coming home.

    Until the end of 2006 JW still was not sure about his firts choice flyhalve no matter what he told everyone.
    The bok management went through a lot of trouble to get rid of JP`s injuries before RWC.BJ was the obvious second choice.

  • 188.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:02 pm

    thanks vloerie!

    isigidi
    i once had a young pommie bird ask me to take her out for a “night drive” and make love to her”sort of like close to a bunch of lions yea”. lol, sure recipe for disaster if those lions thought we were making distress calls!

  • 189.vloervreter: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:03 pm

    Isigidi,

    rangerdude is soos ‘n hommelby man, hy kan nie meer steek nie, kan nie meer heuning maak nie en hang net aan die ou koek !

    PS! Wat doen ‘n muskiet as hy bo op ‘n lelike girl te lande kom – hy steek nie, hy byt haar !

  • 190.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:04 pm

    #185 kwagga! lmao!

  • 191.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:04 pm

    A phone call?

    OOoooooo. Are we supposed to be impressed?

    Butch called you?

    What are you. The ombudsman for rugby websites?

  • 192.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:05 pm

    thanks dawnie, will be sure to cross the tudor hotel off my list of places to stay!

  • 193.Namblack: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:08 pm

    JP = AP

  • 194.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:08 pm

    rangerman

    I compile the list for lobotomies.

    You’re not on it.

    So, you are welcome to utilise your lunch hours profitably at the Tudor (pay-by-the-hour).

  • 195.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:09 pm

    welcome myball to the wonderful world of dawn! she can bite but if you are nice she will spread sunshine around.

  • 196.vloervreter: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:10 pm

    I think we are all missing the point of this Article though, I think all the Saffas in the Brittish leagues are already tired of Muddy Isle and the Soap Dodgers and the nasty weather, I think they all wish they were back here in SA.

  • 197.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:12 pm

    glad to hear i am not on the list dawn! also hopefully no hummers stalking me on the dark load shed streets.
    i have left my wild youth behind and am now a happily married man…but if i can convince the wife……nah, long drive to cape town!

  • 198.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:13 pm

    What’s wrong with some women!

    “Oh please make love to me near the lions.”

    Duh!

    Ai caramba.

  • 199.4man: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:13 pm

    #150
    Pietman
    I vote for reinstatement of GBS and Cuzzy. When its rugby time they stop talking nonsense anyway and they are both very knowledgable, particularly GBS.
    For the record, I dont think ANYONE should be guaranteed a place in a National side, it should be merit, ability and current form, notwithstanding the ability to act as an ambassador for your country.

  • 200.wallabie.: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2008, 14:14 pm

    anyone want a game of cricket…you know where to go…my registered guest name is “BOLLOCKS”

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