Bakkies: I’m not done with Boks
6 Oct 2011
Bakkies Botha will not retire from Test rugby, saying he intends playing two to three more seasons for the Springboks.
The 32-year-old’s World Cup is over after he sustained another blow to his fragile Achilles tendon in training on Wednesday. The 76-Test veteran will leave for South Africa immediately to establish the severity of the injury and begin rehabilitation before commencing a three-year contract with French Top 14 side Toulon on 1 November.
It was widely assumed that Botha would announce his retirement at the end of the World Cup, but he was vehement in his belief that he could still compete at Test level.
‘I’m definitely not done with the Springboks. I believe I have two to three years of rugby left in me, so my phone will be on and I’ll be ready to take the call from the [Springboks] coach if he needs me,’ Botha said.
‘The first focus is getting this injury seen to and to come back harder and stronger for Toulon. The goal is to get them into the Heineken Cup, but the desire to play for the Springboks is still very strong.’
Coach Peter de Villiers has been reluctant to pick overseas-based players, and while his successor’s view on this matter won’t be established until he takes the helm, it is likely that locally-based players will get preference. Asked if he was mindful of this, Botha said: ‘There’s a lot of calmness in me about that situation. I know it is a 50-50 and I’ve made peace with that.’
The second rower has styled himself as the enforcer in the Springboks’ ranks, but admitted to a deep sense of sadness upon hearing the medical team’s assessment of the injury. ‘I’m not one to show my emotions, but deep down I was very heartsore.
‘I have to lift my head though. It serves nobody in this team to see me down. They don’t need that negative energy and it will become a distraction if that was the case. We’ve got an outstanding replacement in Danie Rossouw. He has exploded in the last while and I believe he can make a difference against the Aussies. He’ll get stuck into them.’
Long time team-mate at the Springboks Bryan Habana paid tribute to the fallen soldier. ‘Bakkies had a talk to the team this morning and he got pretty emotional. He gave his heart to this country. His ability to bring the team together will be missed and live in our hearts forever. The mood in the team room was pretty sombre when we heard the news,’ Habana said.
Botha lamented not being able to reunite with Victor Matfield, whom he lined up alongside in a record 56 Tests (Matfield will retire at the conclusion of the Springboks’ campaign). ‘I’m most sad that Victor and I won’t have the chance to help the team defend the title. Just a couple more battles would have been great.’
He added that he was excited by the prospect of joining Toulon, saying that he has been in contact with former Springbok team-mate and club captain Joe van Niekerk, who he described as ‘the mayor of Toulon’.
‘Victor also spoke to me about the passion of the people in the city [Matfield played there in 2008 for six months]. The majority are working-class who have a deep love for the club and its players.
‘I’m not going there for a retirement package. I truly believe I have a lot to offer still. Getting the team into the Heineken Cup is the objective and if I play well there I hope to get that call from the Springboks coach.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Wellington.
Follow Ryan’s World Cup coverage on Twitter
38 Comments
6 Oct 2011, 08:23 am
Go well Bakkas.
Im not a fan of seeing overseas based players picked though.
6 Oct 2011, 08:30 am
of course you can bakkies.
its a mental thing.
just will yourself on to another 4 seasons at least.
6 Oct 2011, 08:52 am
time for the next generation. bakkies and matfield time to step aside. if the stormers can manage bekker well enough for him to be fit for bok selection, and with flip there we have our locks – and oom danie can provide cover for a year or 2.
6 Oct 2011, 08:57 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-3: Oom Danie going to Japan.
6 Oct 2011, 08:57 am
Botha.. Legend. He’s only 32. Can easily go another 4 years.
6 Oct 2011, 09:03 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-3: Agree Bekker and Flip to lead the Boks into a new golden era. Back maybe Elstadt and Juandre Kruger??
6 Oct 2011, 09:06 am
If the Boks need experience for their new young side in 2012 I wont mind having Bakkies in the team as a mentor. The way he speaks in press conferences about playing for the Boks and donning the green and gold are inspiring!
6 Oct 2011, 09:08 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-6:
etsebeth will become a bok legend in time.
he just exudes a bakkies botha type of air.
6 Oct 2011, 09:10 am
He thinks he’s got nothing Toulouse by going to Toulon, but he’ll be away too long to be a Bok.
6 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-7:
Agree on the mentorship role.
Both Brad Thorn and Simon Shaw have both played well past the age of 32. I think Bakkies still has some left in the tank.
Whether he’s picked I think will rest largely on whether there is a suitable replacement or not.
6 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-9: good idea.
poor execution.
up your game.
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-10: thorn and shaw are both 37 i think.
6 Oct 2011, 09:21 am
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-10:
Ja, but if Botha starts to play anywhere near the likes of Shaw and Thorn, he must retire. People go on about how amazing it is that those two are still playing. I answer, Ja – but look how they play. Rubbish.
6 Oct 2011, 09:23 am
Bakkies was a great Springbok and I wish him well in France but I think the new coach will have to invest in a new generation and I hope Flip is not part of the plan. I don’t rate Flip at all and would rather play Elstadt @ 4.
6 Oct 2011, 09:50 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-12:
Interesting.
How many of your fellow Bok supporters do you believe agree with you on this idea that the AB’s would have a more formidable pack if Thorn wasn’t there?
Saying he plays rubbish suggests you also know players who could perform his role far better.
6 Oct 2011, 09:57 am
Funny, but I was also thinking about Thorn – there is a resemblance there. Bakkies might surprise everyone. He might come back with a trick or two from Toulon. He wouldn’t be the first to benefit from France. Look at Steyn. Pity about the shoulder; some of those passes were in the same league as Sonny Bill and the ABs.
6 Oct 2011, 09:57 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-12:
@Brads(Brads)-14:
I think Thorn has only begun to show his age in the past 6 months or so.
Point is 32 is not over the hill for a no 4 lock.
6 Oct 2011, 09:57 am
@once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-8: Yes cant wait to see him on the big stage.
6 Oct 2011, 10:00 am
The Bok locks will be Bekker/Bakkies, not too bad actually!!
6 Oct 2011, 10:01 am
rex – JDV is about 100kg and tall he should also be able to pass like Sonny etc!! He use to be a very verstile player, not too sure where the Pieter Muller crash ball game plan came into his life!!
6 Oct 2011, 10:21 am
Bakkies should have withdrawn from (and prior to) the World Cup like Juan did. He was never going to be ready. Kept another player out of the squad.
But that’s Bakkies way. He’ll never act for the good of the team.
6 Oct 2011, 10:21 am
Bakkies Klierkop, still the biggest thing about him is his ego, then comes his disciplinary record.
He can thank Matfield for a lot, without him he does not amount to much more than undue risk.
I would have chosen Rossouw in any event.
6 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
To all the critics of Bakkies Botha will anyone ever say anything like this about you:
“He gave his heart to this country. His ability to bring the team together will be missed and live in our hearts forever.” (Habana on Bakkies)
6 Oct 2011, 13:00 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-6:
You do remember what happened to our second team inthe 3 nations? hey?
Its going to be a tough start for the next coach
6 Oct 2011, 13:02 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-22:
Awesome. I’m still a massive Bakkies fan, yes he made some brain farts but his teamies love him and he gave his all for the boks and the bulls
6 Oct 2011, 13:27 pm
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-10: And don’t forget Johan Ackermann. 37, I believe?
6 Oct 2011, 14:41 pm
If we look past the silly “Enforcer” tag thats developed, BB operated as the tight lock.I’m not sure the typical stats (tackles, rucks hit etc) adequately describe the contribution of a good tight forward….. I’d be interested in what people think are the primary requirements and how well he measured up.
6 Oct 2011, 15:19 pm
No 4 locks are a rare breed. No4 locks can easily play till they 36.
Go for it bakkies!!!
6 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm
The Boks cannot afford to continue with the old guard of 2007. They have became too slow for the modern game.
It was already clear in 2010 when the AB`s ran them ragged and this year it was no different.
Enough good locks to replace him that can actually improve SA`s record between world cups.
Good locks get developed over long periods of time and its better to start now with the eye on the next WC.
6 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm
All Blacks talisman Richie McCaw is to play through the pain barrier, surviving on painkillers and willpower for the rest of the World Cup rather than quit because of an agonising foot injury.
No wimping out like bakkies – very disappointed
6 Oct 2011, 15:29 pm
@stew(stew)-29:
I think even with painkillers it’s quite hard to run around on a ruptured achilles.
6 Oct 2011, 15:40 pm
@stew(stew)-29: Taking nothing away from Richie Peace Be Upon Him, but a hurty toe is not quite the same thing.
6 Oct 2011, 16:07 pm
Still disappointed we want to play against the best – victory will taste sweeter
6 Oct 2011, 17:39 pm
It appears that Botha is smoking whatever P Divvy and John Smit are smoking
6 Oct 2011, 18:30 pm
Bakkies good to hear.
We will always welcome you as a Bok as the strong man of world rugby
6 Oct 2011, 19:32 pm
Time for SA Journos to mention this piece of controversy:
http://www.espnscrum.com/2011-rugby-world-cup/rugby/story/151481.html
Apparently, the only errors made by refs at this world cup have been to South Africa’s benefit.
Once again, Paddy is out to get us.
6 Oct 2011, 20:20 pm
How about Smit getting carded for trying to make an intercept.
How about the countless high tackles and punches that were not cited from the SA Samoa game.
If the All Blacks lose this world cup, it will be Paddy’s fault. The men in black leotards have never had to fight for an even game, for the past four years (to be exact). They have always been given an easy ride by referees and citing commisioners whenever things get tough. They don’t even know how to deal with adversity.
Imagine a bizzare senario that whomever the All Blacks face in the semi finals gets a fair referee. (It would have to be a rogish renegade who is willing to commit professional suicide) Both South Africa and Australia will put your boys away.
Even your press acknowledges the preferential treatment that your boys get:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/our-experts/4008427/Cards-stacked-in-All-Blacks-favour
O’Brien who is trying to arrange the cup for your boys can’t even take the truth:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Dwyers-bias-comments-upset-Paddy-OBrien/tabid/415/articleID/169226/Default.aspx
The best things that could ever happen to the All Blacks would be for someone to show Paddy the door and for the team to treated the same way as the other teams have been. This will develop the mental toughness that is always lacking in New Zealanders and might even empower them to win a World Cup.
6 Oct 2011, 20:31 pm
@YoMama(YoMama)-36: Rolland definitely coached the ABs through the France game, of that there is little doubt.
Regarding Botha, I think he under-estimates the length of the French season.
8 Oct 2011, 01:41 am
@Bouts(Bouts)-20: You should not give your opinion on rugby.It is emabarrassing
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