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Former England lock Mouritz Botha has faced many challenges in his rugby career, but helping to “make Germany great again” after the country’s footballers crashed out of the World Cup in Russia is the most unusual.
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Botha is Germany’s rugby forwards coach and like his players, was asleep in Apia in Samoa when the defending champions failed to make the knock-out stages in Russia sending the nation into meltdown. Now, attention turns to the rugby players as they bid to grab the sporting headlines back home by winning the first game of their two-leg Rugby World Cup qualifying playoff with Samoa on Saturday.
Samoa and Germany are trying to earn the right to join Ireland, Scotland, hosts Japan and Russia in Pool A of next year’s tournament and while the Pacific Island nation has a proud history in the Cup, the German rugby team are attempting to make history by securing a place at the top table of the sport.
The second leg takes place in Germany on July 14 and the loser will progress to the Cup’s reperchage tournament in November. The qualification process was mired in controversy when Belgium, Spain and Romania fielded ineligible players in the Rugby Europe Championship and had points deducted and that led to Germany beating Portugal 16-13 to earn this double header.
The German players made a 14,500 mile trip via Doha and Auckland to Apia for the match and took around 40 hours to complete the journey. Botha, who won ten England caps while at Saracens, told RugbyPass from Apia: “The guys didn’t watch the match live and it was the first night everyone got a good night’s sleep after getting over the jet lag. It is now up to us to make Germany great again! The guys have not been affected by the football result and we have travelled, probably, as far as you can go to play a Test.
“We have only brought 24 players to Samoa and so we can’t risk overdoing it in training. World Rugby pay travel costs for that number of players along with six staff which is all that is possible.”
Botha and the German players face a Herculean task, not only because they face a fiercely physical Samoan team in 30C heat, but also the fall out from the loss of funding following Dr Hans Peter Wild’s decision to end all financial support. Billionaire Wild was told he could not have his two clubs Stade Francais and Heidelberger RK in the European Challenge Cup because of a clash of interests, leaving the German club without a backer.
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As a result, Botha and 15 of the 24 players representing Germany in Samoa will no longer be employed by Heidelberger RK, one of just two professional teams in the country, and face an uncertain future with the former Saracens lock saying: “I don’t have a job in two weeks’ time! Dr Wild has pulled all funds from the club and we are trying to relocate players to different teams because our livelihoods have been taken away. We are trying to find a new backer for the national team and, hopefully, I can find a new club coaching role and I am based in the UK.
“As a national team, we have faced a number of challenges including the Wild Academy guys deciding to go on strike in November in an attempt to get a deal sorted with the Union. Now, we are dealing with Heidelberger RK not being allowed to play it the Challenge Cup, but each time the boys have come through and delivered. It has been a long, emotional season. I have had many highs in my career and helping Germany qualify for the Rugby World Cup would be fantastic.”
Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has ensured a fiery encounter by stating that Germany has “no knowledge whatsoever on how to play rugby, so we must win this game.” Given that Heidelberger RK was founded in 1872 and the sport didn’t reach Samoa until the 1920’s his knowledge of game’s history around the World is patently flawed.
Samoa have not won a Test match since November 2016 which only adds to the pressure on the home side particularly as Tuilaepa – who is also the chairman of the Samoan Rugby Union –told the national team; “you have no guts.”
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Botha is aware of the Prime Minister’s harsh words about German rugby and his own players but does not believe it will be a major factor in the final build up. “They haven’t had the best run and are under pressure,” said Botha. “It is always tough, physical and emotional to play the Islands nations, but, hopefully, we have the right game plan to defuse their energy and to get our tails up.
“I don’t think the players from either side are taking the Prime Minister’s comments too seriously. The return game on July 14 is planned for Wiesbaden and you have to get the mentality right for both games and the majority of out squad played in the Continental Shield which involved home and away matches. You could view it as a four quarters but it is simpler to just think about winning two matches.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
8 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
34 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
34 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
8 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
34 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
8 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
8 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
11 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
11 Go to comments