What do you get a lock who has already won the biggest prize in rugby union for Christmas? For Bakkies Botha, the answer is simple: a win over England at Twickenham.
Botha, one of the stars of the South Africa side that beat England 15-6 in last year’s World Cup final in Paris, has played six Tests against the Red Rose in his career and been on the winning side four times.
But he was also a member of the South Africa side defeated 32-16 at Twickenham in 2004.
And when the Springboks won 25-14 on their last Twickenham appearance two years ago, Botha was nowhere to be seen. Then-coach Jake White, as part of his preparations for the World Cup, had deliberately opted to give emerging players a taste of the big time and leave leading men such as Botha back at home.
Missing that match still rankles with the 54-times capped Botha, whose partnership with Victor Matfield is widely regarded as one of the great second-row combinations.
But today’s fixture, scheduled for 14:30GMT, is South Africa’s last Test this year and gives Botha the chance to claim that elusive Twickenham triumph.
“It’s definitely one of my goals,” the 29-year-old said. “I remember two years ago, some of the guys here weren’t part of the team that beat England at Twickenham so it’s a big one this weekend.”
“There’s definitely a home ground advantage, and the crowd, to run out and hear all the people shouting together,” he said. “It’s amazing what the atmosphere is like when the people are with their local team.”
Already this month, South Africa have had to cope with the roar of fans at the Millennium Stadium helping inspire a Wales fightback before the Springboks won 20-15.
Last weekend, Murrayfield was energized by the sight of Scotland going 10-0 up before the world champions prevailed 14-10.
“But as professional rugby players and as a Springbok team, we know what we have to do to make a difference on the pitch,” Botha said.
England’s team, following the withdrawal of prop Andrew Sheridan with the neck injury he sustained during last weekend’s 28-14 loss to Australia, features just three survivors from the World Cup final.
“I look forward to every weekend when I see a new pack,” Botha said, to howls of laughter from the assembled press corps that, in their own way, were a testament to his reputation as an “enforcer.”
Noise of a different kind has been on the agenda lately after the president of England’s Rugby Football Union apologized to Australia’s High Commissioner in London for the unsporting booing of the Wallaby goalkickers.
“Let’s be honest, I don’t hear that because my head, every time it’s in a ruck. International players must be so focused they just cut out distractions. But you must give the guy who kicks goals a fair opportunity. That’s a gentleman’s attitude,” Botha said. “It doesn’t matter for a forward if he is being booed because I never heard of anyone booing when the hooker tries to throw the ball in at a lineout.”
This weekend’s match will be the Springboks’ 13th Test in six months and their 20th since the start of the World Cup.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has suggested his players might be mentally, if not physically, fatigued. For Botha, though, this is not an issue.
“I’d rather put my Springbok jersey down on a table and say ‘bring a guy in that will give it 100 percent,’ rather than go on the pitch and give it 90,” he said.
■ SCOTLAND IN CANADA
Scotland forward John Barclay is desperate to help his side break this month’s international series duck by beating Canada at 14:45GMT today — if only to shake off their tag of gallant losers.
The Glasgow flanker says he is fed up with well-wishers offering him “patronizing” praise for almost winning.
And he wants any congratulations to be merited by a performance that results in a victory.
Scotland have produced patches of sparkling rugby against New Zealand and South Africa over the past two weekends and went agonizingly close to edging out the world champion Springboks only to lose 14-10 after being 10-0 in front.
“We have often talked about making progress in the bigger picture. But we can only talk about that for so long before people get bored,” Barclay said. “During the after-match function last weekend, lots of folk told me how well we had played — and that made us feel as if we were being patronized. We have to stop putting ourselves in positions where we get patronized. If we are to be taken seriously we need to win — and win regularly.”
Barclay added: “If only we could have won these two games it would have given us a massive confidence boost. Yes, it was good to run the world champions so close last Saturday and the crowd really supported us, but you can only take so much from losing. We don’t just want to ‘do well’ — we want to win.”
Today’s other Rugby Union international fixtures are (all times GMT):
• France v Australia (20:00)
• Ireland v Argentina (14:45)
• Italy v Pacific Islanders (14:00)
• Wales v New Zealand (17:15)
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