Botha puts World Cup disappointment behind him
BATTLE-HARDENED lock Ruan Botha has vowed to overcome the frustration of his Springboks snub by helping London Irish to become a Premiership force.
Selected twice by South Africa ‘A’ in 2017, former Lions, Stormers and Sharks enforcer Botha had ambitions to barge his way into World Cup contention. But the opportunity never came and the 27-year-old watched as his compatriots lifted the Webb Ellis trophy.
After making a hugeimpact at Irish since joining on a six-month contract in July, Botha admitted: “I probably held on a bit too long to my Springbok dream and be part of that World Cup success.
“I felt I got very close, but once I knew the World Cup wasn’t going to happen, it was the right time to come here.”
Botha added: “As a young guy, you saw Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield heading towards retirement and thought there might be an opportunity. But there were a lot of other guys of younger or similar age who got picked before me.”
Botha’s initial stint at Irish ends in January, but he will return permanently next summer once a prior commitment to Japanese outfit Kubota Spears is over.
“It’s been amazing so far,” says Botha, who has relished the opportunity to forge an engine room partnership with veteran Franco van der Merwe, who was his first senior mentor at the Lions nine years ago.
He explained: “After school rugby, Franco was my senior player. He was my first ever Super Rugby roommate and it’s brilliant we’re playing together again.
“He’s still a huge influence in the game and fulfils a big leadership role at the club.
“Once I knew Irish were getting promoted, I was keen to become part of a new team that’s working hard to get to the top.
“I’ll join Kubota in January in a deal I must see through, but I’ll be able to learn new things, which will benefit Irish when I get back next summer.”
After acquitting themselves superbly in the league and Europe to date, Irish face a stern test of their Premiership credentials at high-flying Bristol today.
Botha added: “They’ve got a good pack of very physical forwards, but we encountered that against Bayonne last week and enjoyed that battle.
“We know there are targets on our backs after our good start, but we’ll try to impose our game and then open things up a bit.”
