BJ eyes awesome opportunity
BJ Botha wants to feature for the Springboks in their build-up to the 2011 World Cup.
Botha moved to Ulster in 2008, and like national team-mates Jean de Villiers and CJ van der Linde, was not considered for the Springboks. What seemed a strict policy changed three weeks ago when Van der Linde was called up to aid the injury-ravaged Boks. Botha received a similar phone call from Udine last week, and De Villiers was contacted as recently as Wednesday night.
All three realise that these are extenuating circumstances, and that they will continue to jeopardise their national prospects as long as they’re based abroad. Botha, however, realises he needs to make his mark.
‘I was very surprised to get the call last week,’ he told keo.co.za. ‘I was in South Africa driving home after watching the Saracens match, and I had to make some quick arrangements to get to Europe.
‘I always knew that the decision to come to Ireland would prevent me from playing for the Boks, so it’s great to be given this opportunity. Last week felt like my debut for the Boks and I’m excited to get my “first start” against Ireland.
‘I don’t know when I will get this chance again, so taking my opportunity is very important. That’s my focus for this weekend. My contract expires at the end of May, so I’ll start reassessing my future soon.’
Botha intimated a move to South Africa is likely as he hopes to play for the Boks in 2010 and at the World Cup. Van der Linde told his website he harbours similar ambitions even though captain John Smit holds a monopoly on the No 3 jersey.
‘I’ve enjoyed my time in Ireland, but at the end of the day, I want to play for my country,’ said Botha. ‘The World Cup is a goal to drive for, but you can’t just rock up for that tournament. You have to be involved in the build-up, and I want to be there for that.’
Ireland are Six Nations champions but were embarrassed at scrum time in their recent draw with Australia. Botha feels the Irish scrum isn’t as soft as they’re made out to be. Some critics are already tipping the Boks as favourites in this department, but Botha said it would be folly to underestimate the hosts.
‘The Irish are tough up front. You have to be a strong scrummaging side if you’re going to play in the northern hemisphere, and you have to be strong if you’re going to win the Six Nations. It’s going to be a big challenge for us.
‘I think their is a lot of potential in our scrum. There were a lot of new roles assumed on this tour, and you just need to give them time to nurture. Scrumming is an eight-man effort which is something people tend to forget.’
The Bok scrum improved dramatically when Botha and Beast Mtawarira entered the fray in the latter stages of the Udine Test. Smit also reverted to hooker, and suddenly the visitors’ scrum was dominating that of the much feared Italians.
The same combination that finished in Udine will start in Dublin, and Botha’s grateful to have picked up that momentum.
‘The media were hammering the Bok scrum before that Test and we just wanted to go out and prove everyone wrong. We need to carry that performance through to this week and ensure our set-piece remains solid.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
November 26th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
a BJ is always an awesome opportunity!!!!@:D
November 26th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
@BALLER canREADY: I think no one is brave enough to follow up on your post!
November 26th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Get the 2 tightheads back…Muir, Rassie ,cmon boys!
November 26th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
**** needs to sign BJ for the Lions – What a scoop that would be
November 26th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
@1 This guy goes to a bar and askes for 5 jagermeisters.
The barman asks what is he celebrating. The guy said his friend
just got his first blowj0b. The barman congratulates him and said
he will throw in another jagermeister for free. The guy said: “Sir if 5
jagermeisters doesent get the taste out of my mouth, nothing will!”
November 26th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
@scar: @JJK: LOL
November 26th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Come on home BJ. Home to Shark tank.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
@Oubaas2009: i think you will get your wish….
November 26th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Imagine having Beast, Carstens, Smit, Smit, Du Plessis x2 and BJ Botha. Now we just need a decent fetcher cause Kegan and Botes are not gonna do it for us.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
In all fairness I never thought of BJ as doing anything else than scrumming.
You have to hit rucks, take the ball up and make tackles. In that area John Smit has got it right. Unfortunately you cant compromise on scrumming, but having John at 3 they do that but then they get the work rate of bismark at hooker. It seems like they are losing a bit if scrum power in return for a higher work rate frim John and Bismarck. Which might be a good thing but not everybody will agree. These days you cant just walk ti the next scrum being a frontrow.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
BJ AND CJ no slouches in the tight loose either….
Smit will need to prove his value ahead of bissy….thats the deal
November 26th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Naah these ou doose must stick with their adopted new greener grass gratuities. Let the new kids come through
WP Nel, K.Buys, W. Kruger
W. Blaauw, C. Oosterhuizen
T. Liebenberg, B. Du Plessis, A. Strauss, B. Maku
those the front rowers for the WC.
2nd row
Sykes, Bekker, Hargreaves, De Villiers, Lombard, Steenkamp, Raubenheimer, Alberts
Back Row
Spies, Alberts, Vermeulen, Deysel, Louw, Potgieter, Brussow
Time to move on and bust some ou doos eiers
Can have a couple few ou doos mentors in the mix.
perhaps Smit, perhaps BJ, perhaps Gurthro, Matfield, Botha, Smith, Burger
But only as stability mentors, not the mainstay. Let the new fresh blood come gushing through.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
BJ come back to the Sharks. Looks like John could now be going to play hooker and Bissie to the bench. Rotation will be the answer to prolong this players until 2011. BJ could rotate with JdP and John with Bissie.
Come home to the Sharks BJ. Plum give him a call quick. Before Muir does.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
this = these
November 26th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
@Craig Goosen: Players Lions must keep/sign
1. Heinke Van Der Merwe
2. Bandise Maku/Mahlatse Ralepelle
3. BJ Botha
4. Marco Wentzel
5. Ross Skeate
6. Baywatch
7. Devon Reubeinhem
8. Joe Van Niekerk
9. Jano Vermaak
10. Burton Francis/Elton Jantjies
11. Chavanga
12. Dewey Swartbooi( forget about Doppies, he has had countless seasons not just games but freakin seasons to prove himself)
13.Hollenbach???
14. Bjorn Basson
15. The Earlster!!!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
@XhosaKid: cool team boet!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Now a guy like bj a man can admire. Totally patriotic to the cause. All He wants to do is represent his country. Got a feeling his going to have a big impact on Saturday………hope you come wp cj.
November 26th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Hope cj and bj comes to wp.
November 26th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
JJK.You clearly need a new pair of glasses boet! Ive never seen someone hit rucks as low and as often as BJ does! Carl Hayman and co were gobsmacked when he was omitted from the squad,initially.Id like to challenge you to count the number of rucks hit by BJ this week-end,thats provided you bring your lenses up to scratch(excuse pun)so that such is possible.Big respect to Peter de Villiers,in the end good sense always prevails with him and selection-wise hes made fewer mistakes than any Bok coach in the history of the game.Eisch,BJ and Bakkies on the one side= EINA for that Loosehead of theirs,Go Bokke !
November 26th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
And with Beast in we dont lose too much mobility – but he must put in a decent performance. When Bissie come son he will add that too – although John does not add mobility, he adds a lot of power. Any forward moobility we lose is made up fro by Brussow – the doring.
With Jean and jacque back together, I rate them a well a teh Irish backline, so I am not too worried there.
We have a kicking advantage in Morney against an untried 10 in Sexton.
What is happening at fullback? Is Zane better? And is
Bakkies in?
November 27th, 2009 at 8:02 am
and hopefully that experiment has ended but we are having problems we need to find a replacement captain as Smit has his career to be number
November 27th, 2009 at 8:07 am
@Wezwp: BJ has his entire family and a beautiful house in Umhlanga, his wife is from Durbs as well, he is a DPHS boy and loyal, he will come back to the SHarks watch this space.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:09 am
DPHS = DHS
to early to engage brain. But he may have also gone to DPHS which is DHS’ primary school 
November 27th, 2009 at 10:36 am
@Sharksgirl: He was at Hillcrest primary, went to Pinetown boys for most of his high career and he did his matric at DHS! But im confident he’ll be making his way back to Durbs, he likes the warm indian ocean for surfing!
November 27th, 2009 at 10:40 am
@Xhosakid:
I’d rather have Mokuena at 7 and Nontshinga at 14.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:42 am
@Sharksgirl: Hope he does. That would be awesome. JdP not that good would rather have BJ back. They can also rotate if have to be like John may have to rotate with Bissie.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:52 am
@ShaunMichaels: Thank you ShaunMichaels didn’t know that knew he attended DHS from his profile.
@Puma: Agreed, I have always rated BJ strong bugger, litterally bumped into him in the Shark cage his arms and thighs are like tree trunks, while not very tall he is massive. I think I was more bruised than he was from our encounter. Jannie was not always a bad prop, He has complained of insufficient game time maybe that is the case, but this season apparently he will be alternating on the Loosehead as well, so lets see how he does. BJ back would be 1st prise.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:57 am
@Sharksgirl: Sharks need to get in there fast. Muir I think is on the prowl over there for the Lions. Though BJ is a Durbs boy. Plum still needs to act fast to sign BJ first.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:00 am
@Puma: Agree with you. But the Lions have very good props already, and BJ is a loyal chap, hope the Sharks really get in there and get him. What worries me is Oom Rudi and his very tight purse strings.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
@Sharksgirl: Sharks must not be stingy now just have to get that cheque book out quick.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
All I can say is that whoever at Keo HQ decided on this headline should go and train at The Sun for a few months.
Raw material as good as this should not be discarded so carelessly again.
November 27th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Skopskiet is correct. One of the problems we are seeing is the lack of depth being exposed. Because the first choice players are so good, they have been over-played to the point that they are almost dead on their feet and succumbing to the injuries that Dr Noakes predicted would happen on this tour.
So now there is a conundrum as to who are our next best or up and coming replacements. If the management carries on at the present rate, the current Boks will be incapacitated by 2011. So WP Nel and some of the other players mentioned should be coming through. Hopefully the Super 14 will allow others to stake their claim. Otherwise the Boks will have the crisis that Australia is having now around the time of the next RWC.
Although experience does count for a lot as Jake White showed, you still have to be bringing new players into the mix so that the transitions occur seamlessly. This is one thing where the New Zealand management clearly has an edge on South Africa. You see hiccups in the AB team – viz this year’s Trinations – but the ABs very quickly get back on track and the problems do not linger on year after year. One cannot blame this aspect of Bok management on politics as much as a lack of forward planning which seems endemic. For example, does the Bok coaching team have a clear plan for Smit’s succession? Have they identified the next Bok captain? Will it be someone who will be as influential as Smit, or is it going to be another Corne Krige?
Any comments on this?
November 27th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
@ShaunMichaels:
thought he went to kloof high school, not pinetown, before dhs