'I knew I wasn't going to sign back with Munster, I knew that already in December 2019'
Funny how it all works out. When Arno Botha jumped on a flight out of Ireland in early March, his return home to South Africa was meant to be fleeting. Just a week’s break was all that had been pencilled in, some catching up with family and friends before heading back to see out the final few months of his contract with Munster.
He never made that return trip. The pandemic shut the lid on the Irish rugby season. Then came the South African lockdown and an April phone call from out of the blue while he was on the farm, biding his time while the world readjusted to the new normal of social distancing, mask-wearing and all the rest.
Jake White wanted a word on the other end of the line. When he hung up, Botha wasn’t entirely convinced he was ready to turn back the clock, rejoin his old club in South Africa and put an end to the restorative European adventure that has been the saving of his previously injury-riddled career.
However, the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Come home, have a second go with the Bulls, the club he grew up supporting, and see could that yawning gap back to 2013 and the last of his two Springboks caps be bridged.
So far so good is the glowing verdict. Not only were the Bulls crowned Super Rugby Unlocked champions before Christmas and will look to seal a first Currie Cup title since 2009 in the coming weeks in South Africa, but back row Botha was also part of the Springboks for the October training week that culminated in a trial match in Cape Town. Awesome.
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“It’s definitely better being here with your family and people that you are used to, people that you can see yourself with in the longer term,” he told RugbyPass, reflecting on how he has gone from living in Ireland to back home in South Africa at a time when the world has shut down.
“You know you’re close to your family, close to friends. In that way, it’s obviously a bit better but it wasn’t the way I wanted to end my journey at Munster. I can’t take anything away from that club, but it is awesome to be back and everything is healthy.
“The move back was a headache because we only came home for a week, left everything there. So back for a week and the lockdown starts in Ireland and then it starts in South Africa. I haven’t been back to Ireland since March last year and JP (Ferreira) packed up my house on that side and then RG (Snyman) moved into that house.
“I have to give CJ (Stander) and Chris (Cloete), JP and Jean (Kleyn) and Johann (van Graan), everybody there the thumbs up for that because they helped me quite nicely to move my stuff here. But it’s very good to be here and enjoying every moment of it.
“We were at my mum’s place,” he continued, recalling where he was when that fateful call came from White asking if he fancied another twist at the Bulls. “I knew I wasn’t going to sign back with Munster, I knew that already in December 2019, so he [White] called me and gave me the plan he has for the Bulls and what he wants to do.
“I’m from the Bulls, from Limpopo which is up north, so it would be good for me to be back with the Bulls and I can always go back to Europe again afterwards. After that call I also said I might not go back to South Africa, I want to stay in Europe for seven years.
“But I thought, ‘Well, it might be worth it and give it a go. We’re in a pandemic so I’m also quite lucky to get this opportunity’. That isn’t the only reason I took it. I also believe in the plan they want to do with the Bulls.
“It’s not like my hand was forced. There were a few clubs in Europe but they started to go quiet because of the pandemic, so the timing was perfect. I obviously talked to Johann about it because he is a guy you can take advice from.
“I said, ‘This is the situation I’m in. I know I’m not going to go back to Munster. What do you think? Was it a good idea to go back to the Bulls and go with Jake?’ He said yes and Jake is a world-class coach who knows what he wants and he can bring something together from nothing. He is well on his way here to doing that at the moment.”
The Bulls used to be quite the attraction, a global brand that packed out Loftus Versfeld with its all-star roster. Botha was a fanatic. Even now his memories of camping overnight outside the ground on successive weekends as a 17-year-old to get tickets for the 2009 Super Rugby semi-final and final wins over the Crusaders and Chiefs remain vibrant.
“I remember all of that,” enthused Botha, recalling a giddy time from his life as a teenager in South Africa. “We’d come to Loftus and would be painted blue. Just wear some shorts, a helmet with horns, flags… in 2009 we slept in front of Loftus on two Sunday nights to get tickets. Guys would camp in chairs, have a party and enjoy the time there waiting for the Bulls to open at 8 o’clock on Monday morning. That is why it is a place close to my heart, a place I would always want to be.”
It’s why White’s blueprint for rejuvenation was music to Botha’s ears when the call initially came. “He said he wanted to win trophies, wanted to make the Bulls the best brand, a world rugby brand like it was from 2007 to 2010. He wanted to get back to that with the players he wanted to bring in and if you look at his history he can do that with a team.
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“He made a lot of semis and finals in a few different teams. Even when he was at the Sharks, they were very good also. So he knows how to work with players and how to put something together. That gave me energy, but just the way he talked about what he wants to make the Bulls work and make the Bulls a world-known brand again, that was good enough for me.”
White has had a marmite reputation over the years – people either love or hate him with little middle ground. Botha is enjoying the experience. “Everybody is not going to like everybody. What I like about him is he is a straight shooter. If he wants to use you he will use you. If he doesn’t want to use you he’s not going to use you. He’s not going to waste your time.
“He’s honest and open about what he wants. It is a hard thing for some players – maybe you have disappointed him and he isn’t going to pick you again, he will say that. You just need to have the courage to go to him and ask what is the next step for me and will I get another chance.
“Sometimes that is what is missed (with coaches and players), we don’t communicate. We have Dr Henning (Gericke), a mental coach who helps a lot because he has worked with Jake for a long time. You can always go and talk with him. He will tell you this and this happened and give advice on how to manage that.
“I’d say at the moment most of the guys are happy with him [White], even though some guys don’t get picked. If you don’t get picked it’s not because he doesn’t like you or if he puts you on a bench, it’s not because he doesn’t like you. It’s just he is seeing something in someone or in someone else and wants to take a look at that and he backs that, so that’s it.
“If you think about it, you can’t be angry at the coach if he doesn’t pick you. If he didn’t ever give you a chance you might have an opinion about it but if he gave you a few chances and he is not happy with what he sees you both can just part ways. But he is also the type of guy that will try to help you with another place. He’s not just going to leave you in the dark.”
That sounds encouraging, not only for the Bulls but for South African rugby in general as their main teams prepare for the new Rainbow Cup, the precursor to their involvement in the Guinness PRO16 after leaving behind the old Super Rugby structure involving New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.
“More unions will see what is happening at the Bulls and will do that, try to bring back players from overseas and make rugby in South Africa even better,” reckoned Botha. “That will also make the Springboks better. It’s not just older guys coming back, but these guys have been good.
“If you look at Morne (Steyn), he’s 55-plus I think (35) and he is still playing very good rugby. I spoke to Willem Alberts after the Lions game and he’s still making big hits and playing 80. He is 36. Those guys are doing well and can mentor the younger guys, just show them they need to do this and this to be able to get a longer career because they have been through it, played a lot of games for South Africa and went overseas, came back and there are still good players, so there is the mental aspect of it.”
Being mentally strong has been the blessing for Botha’s enduring career. Ruptured knee ligaments ruined his second and last Springboks appearance in 2013, precipitating a difficult period that had its nadir when Ulster withdrew a two-year contract offer in May 2017 due to his inability to stay injury-free.
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He didn’t blink. Eventually, a short-term deal at London Irish led to Munster and his Bulls return has now given the 29-year-old Botha a shot at bridging the eight-year gap back to his last South Africa selection. “Luckily I have a good support structure, my family, my wife, my agent. I’m a Christian so I believe in something bigger and something better. I will never forget that time [the Ulster rejection]. It was challenging but at the same time you don’t weep, you don’t feel sorry for yourself for too long.
“After that email, I just knew I was going to play rugby again and I put a goal down that I was going to do it before the end of January 2018. I got my scan again in November 2017. Everything was fine with my knee and I got a contract at Irish for four months. It’s tough but you learn so much from it, you can now say when something happens I have been through worse.
“In rugby, if you’re really smart about it you can learn a lot. You say it’s not that bad, embrace it and get something out of it… what people struggle with is they ask the wrong questions and blame the wrong people. I believed I was going to play rugby again, put my head to it and I played.
“I have played for a lot of things and nothing came from it also. When it doesn’t come through, when it disappoints, you still have to have that faith. It’s really a relationship and something that you have to understand to walk with it otherwise it is just going to bite you.
“The fact that I came out of it injury-free makes a massive difference in your career and mentally, especially mentally… it [being injury-free] is definitely one of the bigger reasons why we enjoyed it so much in Europe because it wasn’t a good stint for me in South Africa from 2013 to 2017.”
The ongoing pandemic means no-one can be certain when the Springboks will next play. The Lions tour is in jeopardy, but Botha wearing the green shirt of South Africa again, especially against Warren Gatland’s side, would be the stuff of dreams after everything he went through.
“I would probably see it as my Test debut again. It is eight years. One of the bigger reasons why I came back was to give myself a chance to see if I can do this now. If I can’t then I can go and take my head out of it a bit more and just relax playing whereas now it is focused and goal-driven.
“I would probably handle it like a first cap because it is a massive, massive privilege. You think there is always going to be another one, but you never know when it is the last one… it would definitely be one of the bigger moments of my life.
“You can only look at your own life and see what you want to do, see what is the maximum, and that will probably be the maximum… I don’t think I can put into words what it would mean. It would be a life-changing moment, just a massive honour.
“You always see these videos of twelve years back when they played. It always looks so nice, the crowds and the people. When you do it you have to have that, you can’t do it without a crowd. You need the full aspect of it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
24 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
24 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
10 Go to comments