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EXCLUSIVE: Namibian Bothma to continue Jacques Burger's brutal European legacy
Harlequins flanker Renaldo Bothma (6’2, 110kg) has set himself the daunting challenge of replacing Jacques Burger as the face of Namibian rugby in Europe and guiding his country to qualification for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
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Given that Burger’s face bore the scars of a ridiculously committed career with Saracens and Namibia by the time he retired, Bothma, 28, is a brave man to take on that kind of responsibility and he admitted: “I will definitely try to keep my looks better than Jacques! For me, I just want and become a World class player and get my form back in the coming weeks. It is not about becoming famous in England, it is about delivering my best for Harlequins and to do the boys proud.
“We have the final qualification for the World Cup next June and that is something we are really looking forward to and we are confident of making it to Japan although you cannot be certain of anything about rugby. For a small country like Namibia, it is a massive thing to be at the World Cup and it is unique for those guys who are not full-time professionals.”
Bothma, like 38-cap Burger who quit the game last year, has already shown an ability to overcome serious injury with more than 24 weeks spent recovering from twice breaking his arm and now a metal plate and screws will remain for the rest of his rugby career to ensure the bone stays together. The arm injury is why Quins fans have had to wait until December to see the strongly built flanker pull on the famous multi-coloured jersey and he will be on duty in Belfast tomorrow night as the London club faces the return clash with Ulster in a European Champions Cup campaign that has only delivered three defeats against La Rochelle, Wasps and the Irish province.
The Kingspan Stadium in Belfast delivers a raucous atmosphere that will test Quins ability to handle intense pressure and Bothma is relishing both the mental and physical challenge that facing Ulster involves. He added: “I broke my arm in the last Super rugby game I played in South Africa and there was still six or seven games rehab when I arrived at Quins and then I played in an A league match for the club. With the first ball carry I made I completely broke the same arm again and then I had to have an operation and so in total is was around 24 weeks out.
“I now have a plate – not having had one the first time for the fracture which healed by itself – and the surgery was needed because it was a complete break and that will stay in my arm. You can take it out at a later stage but not now and I don’t know if it going to set off the metal detectors!
“Last weekend’s cold weather was horrible for me and I have never experienced anything like that before on a rugby pitch. I am sure it will get better although I have heard it does get wet in Belfast.
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“Although I have played only two games, I have enjoyed the whole experience and playing at home in front of a full stadium is something that has been lacking in South African rugby for the last year or two. The injuries at Quins this season have meant that the summer signing like myself, Demetri Catrikilis and Francis Salili have been out. Hopefully we have a lot of guys coming back for the start of the New Year.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments