Toyota Hilux Legend 55 speaks to the rugby legacy of Bakkies Botha

John Philip Botha is as close as one can get to the Toyota Hilux Legend 55, writes Mark Keohane.

The Hilux Legend 55 is sold as being more than a Bakkie, but in terms of rugby players, it matches the ultimate in one Bakkies Botha.

The Keo & Zels Show partnered with Toyota to showcase the Legend 55 and dedicate a four-part series to four Bok legends Zels and I believe to speak the language of the Legend 55.

Our selection policy was that we could not include a current Springbok but had to dig into the archives to define legacy and legend as qualities.

Our gifted quartet is Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger and Frans Steyn.

In the first of the four-part series we celebrate the achievements of Bakkies Botha as a Springboks and professional rugby player, who won every rugby title possible when he played in the Southern Hemisphere for the Bulls and in the Northern Hemisphere when he played for the French club Toulon.

Botha, who played 100 matches for the Bulls in Super Rugby and won the premier southern hemisphere club title three times, was part of the exceptional Toulon squad that won three successive Investec Champions Cup titles, then known as the Heineken Cup.

Botha also won France club rugby’s coveted Top 14 title, as well as the Currie Cup in South Africa.

He won the 2007 World Cup with the Springboks, a 15-6 win against England in Paris, France, and was also a Tri nations title winner.

Botha was the fans’ vote for the greatest ever No 4 lock in the 30 year history of Investec Champions Cup and the former French national coach and Toulon Director of Rugby Bernard Laporte described Botha as the best player he had coached.

Botha told me it was among his greatest compliments. Equally each time one of his peers selected him in their finest World XVs.

Botha is Europe’s Best

Botha’s durability, sustainability, longevity, excellence and reward in titles.

Blue Bulls

• Vodacom Cup: 2001
• Currie Cup: 2002, 2004, 2006 (draw), 2009

Bulls

• Super Rugby: 2007, 2009, 2010

Toulon

• Heineken Cup European Champions/European Rugby Champions Cup: 2013, 2014, 2015
• Top 14 French League : 2014

South Africa

• World Cup: 2007
• Tri-Nations: 2004, 2009
• British & Irish Lions series win: 2009
• Mandela Challenge Plate: (v Wallabies) 2005, 2009
• Freedom Cup: (v All Blacks) 2004, 2009

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 07: Bakkies Botha of the Springbok in action during the International match between South Africa and World XV at DHL Newlands Stadium on June 07, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

In a new series, we celebrate the new Toyota Hilux Legend 55, and a select quartet of Bok rugby legends of similar ilk!@ToyotaSA #Legend55 #ToyotaBakkiesSA #NotJustABakkie pic.twitter.com/y17evMCfQe

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 3, 2025