Kitch Kristie
It may be New Zealand’s moment in the limelight, but the Springbok victories in 1995 and 2007 will be honoured as the captains and coaches of World Cup winning teams are inducted into the International Rugby Board’s Hall of Fame tonight.
Springboks lock Bakkies Botha has been ruled out of the rugby world cup due to an Achilles tendon injury and will return to South Africa on Friday.
South African brothers Marius and Neels Botha have been having a blast touring New Zealand with their idol and namesake Bakkies Botha.
But Springboks fans need not fear the star back row has defected from camp – the Botha brothers are carrying a cardboard cut-out of their hero as they trek across the nation and take in their team’s Rugby World Cup 2011 pool matches.
The Springboks made four changes to their starting line-up and two more on the bench when they named the team to meet Fiji in their Pool D World Cup 2011 match in Wellington on Saturday.
South Africa on Monday played down injury concerns in the camp, despite confirmation that veteran lock Bakkies Botha is not responding to treatment for his Achilles problem.
Bakkies Botha
Reports are surfacing across the internet that Springbok lock Bakkies Botha’s Achilles tendon injury is worse than expected and may be ruled out of Rugby World Cup.
Bulls lock Bakkies Botha will play in his 100th Super Rugby match for his team when they take on the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Vodacom Bulls are set to bring back two of their big guns – Springboks Bakkies Botha and Fourie du Preez – to face the Sharks in their final Vodacom Super Rugby league match at Loftus on Saturday.
Vodacom Bulls lock Bakkies Botha has been cleared on a charge of dangerous play after appearing before a SANZAR Judicial hearing at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has chosen to rest Bakkies Botha and play Danie Rossouw alongside Victor Matfield against the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Springbok lock Victor Matfield has given his team-mate some sage advice ahead of an impending move to Toulon in France after the World Cup : Learn French quickly.
Reports from French Newspapers has suggested that Bakkies Botha signed a 3-year deal with French Club Toulon. Continue reading
“It’s nice to be back.”
The remark by Bakkies Botha could just as well have been the official comment from the Blue Bulls.
When a team loses as badly as the Springboks have done in recent weeks there are millions of theories around to try and answer why. I have my own, but it is very different from what has been suggested so far… Continue reading
Two recent performances from the Springboks have raised some serious questions about the team that should take us to World Cup success next year, and whether the current crop has hit the ceiling, or still has a lot to offer Bok rugby. I asked Dr. Ross Tucker, an expert in the field of sport science for his opinions on the matter. Continue reading
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Monday criticised the role of television producers in the citing and subsequent suspension of Bakkies Botha.
Here’s the dreaded video material:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-DQ29ycLkU[/youtube]
Springbok number 8 Pierre Spies has been ruled out of the Vodacom Bulls Super 14 squad for Saturday’s warm-up match against the Lions in Polokwane. Continue reading
The Bulls were dealt another injury blow in the build-up to the defence of their Super 14 crown with the news that Emerging Springbok captain and Bok loose forward Dewald Potgieter has been sidelined through a training ground injury. Continue reading
It is not often that I listen to Freestaters but this one made quite an interesting point. Continue reading