John Philip "Bakkies" Botha

John Philip “Bakkies” Botha

John Philip “Bakkies” Botha, born 22 September 1979 in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal has had a glittering international career that drew to a close on 22 November 2014.

He will continue to play for his French Club Toulon and has even hinted at retiring in South Africa with the Currie Cup.

In his professional career Botha has won everything there is to win.

With the Blue Bulls he won the Vodacom Cup in 2001 and then went on to add three Currie Cup titles to his name in 2002, 2004 and 2009.

With the Bulls in Super Rugby, Botha was part of the first South African team to lift the trophy in 2007 (in the professional era – with Transvaal winning the Super 10 in 1993), and then again in 2009 and 2010.

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For the Springboks he has won the World Cup in 2007, the Tri-nations in 2004 and 2009 as well as a British and Irish Lions Series Trophy in 2009.

Botha has also picked up the Mandela Challenge plate in 2005 and 2009 against the Wallabies and the Freedom cup against the All Blacks in 2004 and 2009.

For Toulon, Botha won the European cup back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 as well as scooping the Top 14 League in 2014.

A true giant of the game in every sense, it is easy to smile when watching this clip…

 

 

Bakkies Botha, Willie John McBride, Victor Matfield & Heyneke Meyer

Bakkies Botha, Willie John McBride, Victor Matfield & Heyneke Meyer

 

Bakkies Botha & Juan Smith in the streets of Toulon with their home-made BOEREWORS - You can take the BOER out of South Africa but you cannot take South africa out of the BOER!

Bakkies Botha & Juan Smith in the streets of Toulon with their home-made BOEREWORS – You can take the BOER out of South Africa but you cannot take South africa out of the BOER!

 

Bakkies Botha & Bryan Habana having a BRAAI in Toulon, France.

Bakkies Botha & Bryan Habana having a BRAAI in Toulon, France.

170 Responses to A TRIBUTE to Bakkies Botha, the hard man of Rugby

  • 151

    @ Victoriabok:
    I’m not disputing Nz has had dirty players…Cane knows this…but that shouldn’t stop him from pointing out opposition players he deems dirty… how does it go…one man’s terrorist is another man’s hero…

  • 152

    Caner has a Bakkies poster on the wall of his hobbit cave.

  • 153

    151 @ Te Rangatira:
    I think the expression is actually “One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist”.

    Quite apt in SA’s history methinks.

  • 154

    145 @ Charo:
    Ag Charo, I take it from whence it comes.

    In your advanced age what did you do, a year’s National Service??

    To speculate what was afkak and what was not, is just trying to say “my cock is bigger than yours”… so, back in your box, please!

    I did my National Service with pride, we did Basics of 14 weeks and then after that still an additional 12 months Officer’s Course, so I only got my rank after 15 Months of blood, sweat & guts. Of 74 of us who started Officer’s course, only 13 of us finished and got Rank… so I’m happy with what I did, thanks.

    Try earning the trophee for the best Candidate on Officers Course over 12 Months and see where that takes you.

    Try lugging a 2 ton Russion canon around by hand between a crew of 4 on an extended run… after run, after run – man-handling the canon all the way… with only the 2 best 4-man crews getting pass for the weekend.

    Try doing “Vasbyt” (140 km in 4 days) in winter in the Drakensburg around Baberton.

    Try completing an “Opfok” with poles and Samil tyres… where the ambulance and an army doctor is sent with, to casavac the casualties along the way.

    Try having an Ex-Rekkie as your Instructor and PT Instructor.

    Try having your wisdom teeth taken out between PT sessions, by the Unit Army Dentist, then doing the PT session with a numb face and bleeding mouth… and one eye which can’t blink due to the amount of mouth mumbing injections you had in the process.

    So, don’t come with bullshit you cannot substantiate, oh man from Duin 7… with the massive cock-a-doodle and the equally big chip on the shoulder!

  • 155

    147 @ Te Rangatira:
    I agree with your sentiments regarding Burger Geldenhuys and the broken jaw, but seriously one does not take that type of action unprovoked… simple as that.

    I also agree that to condemn a man for one incident, is ludicrous.

    I understand that you Kiwi chaps did not like Burger Geldenhuys for what he did, or some hate for Bakkies… but equally so there are those on your side and every side of the fence who have committed indiscretions.

    We revere Frik du Preez, Burger Geldenhuys, Bakies Botha, Moaner van Heerden and the likes in South Africa – as true hard men and icons of the game, just like you guys revere Colin Meads, Skinner and your heros in New Zealand.

    It is absolutely correct to have your icons and heros, however for anybody to tarnish a nation and paint them all with the same brush, is short-sighted and emmencely stupid… and childish.

    That being the main reason for my gripe yesterday.

    I respect the rich history between the Springboks and All Blacks and I want you to be aware that I also respect your heros… because I do and it’s the right thing to do.

    Perspective is in the eye of the beholder, as you rightly point out, that’s why I consider you a true All Blacks supporter… but also one with knowledge and insight.

    I do not consider you a fool with a blabbering mouth as wide as the emptyness between the ears…

  • 156

    @ grootblousmile:

    Charo did his bit.

    Only it was in the Boer War and he was on the wrong side.

    😆

  • 157

    156 @ gunther:
    Hehehe… was it him and his cronies who brought the freegin Kakiebos into South Africa in the horse-fodder??

    Pity Oupa “Aap” did not take him out too… he killed many of them and a lot of Hans-kakies too!

    Oupa Adriaan Izak “Aap” Geldenhuys, was my dad’s oupa… a singular man, who lost a couple of fingers in his youth, in the process of killing a male Lion who had jumped his dad… he then jumped on top of the Lion, shoved his hand with revolver down the Lion’s throat and shot the Lion dead, from the inside out, on top of his dad… losing a couple of fingers in the process.

  • 158

    Seems Pat Lambie is now officially the ranking #10 in Bok rugby … (until the next Bok loss … or not?)

    Anyway, GO BOKKE!

  • 159

    @ Angostura:

    I must say at this stage I’m happy with this call.

  • 160

    @ grootblousmile:
    Yeah we all have our heroes… I can’t say I ever hated Bakkies… I looked upon him as one of the games necessary evils… 😆 … a player with a point of difference…These types of players who dish it out are a dying breed and the game is worse off for it imo…

  • 161

    @ Te Rangatira:

    Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men like Bakkies. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Your buddy Cane?

    You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want Bakkies on that wall, you need Bakkies on that wall.

  • 162

    161 @ gunther:
    Great quote, from which movie was it originally again?

  • 163

    @ grootblousmile:

    A few good men.

  • 164

    This may explain the disappearance of Extraball.

    Car guarding in the states.

    (Not the Free States)

  • 165

    Whatafuckup

    Nicky What’sit has hijacked my phone.

    This is the one

  • 166

    gunther wrote:

    This may explain the disappearance of Extraball.
    Car guarding in the states.
    (Not the Free States)

    He might not be around anymore Gunther

    They’re allowed to pack heat in the States

    Imagine what they’ll do to a guy hanging around the car park, without front teeth, drinking thirty year old Pinotage from the bottle and talking to himself in a strange accent?

    His acute lead deficiency will be remedied

    “911 How can I help”

    “Officer, I just shot a drunk A-rab trying to steal my car”

  • 167

    Te Rangatira wrote:

    @ grootblousmile:
    These types of players who dish it out are a dying breed and the game is worse off for it imo…

    Agreed, he’s the last of a dying breed

    The new generation of metrosexual rugby players would never throw a punch, you might ruin the other guys facial or mess up your manicure

    It’s a shame that professional sports sucked the individuality out of sports and left us with bland cookie cutter players

    And sports and fans are poorer for it

    No more Pinetrees, Bakkies’, Sennas, Bothams or McEnroe’s

  • 168

    😆

    Attachment:

  • 169

    @ grootblousmile:
    Actually there was meant to be a smiley after my little post.
    Didn’t expect you to be so farken grumpy about it.
    However, quite frankly, I find your response so typical of the Okes who contributed zilch in real terms but like to brag how tough they were.
    You peripheral lot had it easy, shooting at balloons in the sky.
    You also have the most to say to make up for lack of contribution. It is not often that the guys in the front line speak much – they keep to themselves or close friends.

    I wonder how much your new head prefect Gunther experienced in those days?

  • 170

    169 @ Charo:
    You sir, are a bunch of HOT AIR!

    A feeble attempt… go try again!

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