Ask Bakkies!

[PaarlBok]

One of my personal best Bok locks and sad to see him go.

Bakkies advice to the Bokke

Bakkies' emotional team talk

Bakkies Botha


Wellington - His campaign wrecked by injury and facing the end of his international rugby career, veteran lock Bakkies Botha delivered a sombre message to Springboks team-mates ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against Australia.

Botha missed selection in the South Africa team for Sunday's match after aggravating an Achilles' tendon injury and will not play again at the tournament.

But he set aside immense personal disappointment to address team-mates on Thursday with a rallying message and a reminder: You never know which test may be your last.

"Bakkies had a talk to the team this morning and it did get a little bit emotional," said winger Bryan Habana.

"We've had a guy that's really given his heart to this country for the last 10 years and he's become a good friend to a lot of us. He's a strong character within this team, not only by the way he carries on off the field, but his ability to bring this team together on the field."

Habana stopped short of saying there wasn't a dry eye in the house but he admitted Botha's message, and the circumstance in which it was delivered, was sobering.

"Yes, it was a bit sombre in the team room this morning and I think Bakkies said it the most. He said you never know when it's going to be your last game," Habana said.

"I think it is tough on the team.

"Whether it was tougher losing Frans Steyn, or New Zealand losing Dan Carter, it's difficult to say, but he's become a great friend, a great rugby player and the ability he had to lift this team will live in our hearts for quite a while."

Tot Siens ou Grote, ons gaan jou mis!

 

[PaarlBok]

No Bakkies love in this place?

 

[light]

Always admired the guy and his commitment to the Springboks, to play at the level he did, for as long as he did is an achievement in itself. They look a weaker team without him but I have little doubt it will take long before some other young lock steps up to the plate. Thankyou Bakkies, you successfully ruined my dreams of Wallabies success for years on end , true champion and one of the good blokes in the game, all the best.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Massive fan of him, real true hard man of the game.

Had his ugly side occasionally, and was a fan of the odd cheap shot, but you gotta wonder if it was more that he just got caught more often, than he gave more often.

Enjoyed watching him play.

 

[cyclopath]

No Bakkies love in this place?

Tough player, can't say there's too much love from me. I know you think he's cleaned up his act, but too many brain-farts for my liking. Sorry, Paarl.

 

[Set piece magic]

Bakkies added flavour to rugby, his give them nothing attitude was something every rugby player aims to achieve, feared as an enforcer on the field he showed time and time again that he was a mighty warrior. His fighting, eye poking, wind uping was all part of the game and rugby will be poorer without it

 

[PaarlBok]

Bakkies is the best mungral nr2 lineout jumper in rugby. The fuse in the oven of a very successfull Brute and Springbok side in his time.

 

[cyclopath]

Bakkies added flavour to rugby, his give them nothing attitude was something every rugby player aims to achieve, feared as an enforcer on the field he showed time and time again that he was a mighty warrior. His fighting, eye poking, wind uping was all part of the game and rugby will be poorer without it

You're kidding, surely?

 

[Baldric]

He was one of the true characters of the game. Never took a backward step. Smiled when he smacked some upstart and had no fear. OK he had a few hotheaded moments, but if he played for your team you would have had some serious man-love for him too.

 

[International Badboy]

He's a thug who doesn't deserve any place in the game

 

[matty_k]

A thug yes but the rest is uncalled for.

 

[Jnor]

I believe we had 'Ask Bakkies' covered around here a while ago...

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/ask-bakkies-i-cant-see-straight/

He's been a good opponent over the years and would've probably loved him on our team. God knows we need some mongrel but maybe not all of it all at once.

 

[PaarlBok]

He's a thug who doesn't deserve any place in the game

Vok knows, dunno where you get your posting name from?

 

[daz]

A thug who could also play a bit. Nothing more or less. A disgrace to his country, and saying he is a good bloke after some of the crap he did on the field is an example of a defective moral compass. The game does not need the likes of Botha, or indeed that other bastion of sportsmanship, Schalk Burger.

Good riddance to him.

 

[Waylon]

No Bakkies love in this place?

Perhaps the hardest lock of all time.

I would pick him to play for my life and he'd be my first pick

RESPECT

 

[REDinCPT]

an absolute villain and my least liked player... i wish he was on my side.

as for all the foul play, there can be no denying it and there has been plenty of it, but i cannot remember him ever getting away with anything. he cost his team a few tests and perhaps a a series or two. if you pick a bakkies in your side, that's what you get. i do not hear any south africans complaining (sarcasm, plenty of complaining about yellows and suspensions).

in my opinion selecting bakkies it isn't all that different to picking cooper in your side: he's a bit dirty, oppositions hate him (particularly supporters), he wins you plenty of games but loses a few for you along the way.

 

[BRIX]

I don't care what anyone says, Bakkies has long been my prototype lock. Big, strong and aggressive - almost as if he's robotically programmed to complete tasks at hand (think Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier). After reading and watching countless interviews with the man himself I've come to the conclusion that Bakkies is a good guy, he just relishes playing the role of the villain.

Hope to see him line up for he Barbarians in the months to come.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Had a look at some of the villainy on youtube and while Bakkies obviously relished the physical side of things he tended to do it face to face( in Cowan's case literally). I would think of him as a big fecker who enjoyed inflicting pain but I wouldn't have him down as an eye gouger/ bollock grabber/ Delon Armitage style cheap shot on the smallest fella on the field merchant. While looking found the replay of Bismark pinning BOD to the ground and threatening to hit him; always makes me laugh as if you stuck BOD in a boxing ring with anyone in Rugby apart from SBW the ref would stop the fight inside a round. BOD is a very good boxer!!!

 

[teach]

Would have loved to see Brad Thorn and Bakkies "Baby eater" Botha go toe to toe. That would have made the ground shake.

 

[fatprop]

Would have loved to see Brad Thorn and Bakkies "Baby eater" Botha go toe to toe. That would have made the ground shake.

unlikely, Bakkies specializes in going "toe to toe" with small backs and forwards from behind