KEO News Wire

Brilliant & Brutal Bakkies Botha is Europe’s best

Published

1 year ago

20th May 2025

Keo

Fans all around the world have voted Bakkies Botha the best No 4 lock to ever play in the Investec Champions Cup, writes Mark Keohane.

Botha inspired French club Toulon to a historic three successive Investec Champions Cup titles in a glittering career, in which he won every title he played for in both the southern and northern hemisphere.

Botha retired as one of the most decorated players in the history of the game and joined an elite group of players to win the Investec Heineken Cup (Toulon) and Super Rugby (with the Bulls). He also won the World Cup with the Springboks in 2007.

Former French national coach and former Toulon coach Bernard Laporte described Botha as the ultimate rugby player and said he was the best player he had ever coached. Botha rated it the greatest compliment of his career.

The Investec Champions Cup celebrates its 30th anniversary this season and fans were asked to vote for their dream team over the course of 30 years of the finest rugby in Europe.

Botha played 71 matches for Toulon between 2011 and 2015. He also played 153 matches for the Bulls and 85 Tests for the Springboks. He finished his career captaining the Barbarians FC.

Botha was a nominee for SA player of the year in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

In 2013 the French publication Midi Olympique voted him as the best No. 4 lock to ever play the game. At the time, he was one of only two players in the best XV still playing, the other being Richie McCaw.

He is the only player in the history of rugby union to date to have won a hat trick of Super Rugby and European rugby titles.

Blue Bulls