Hendrik Egnatius Botha
Encyclopedia
Hendrik Egnatius Botha, commonly known as Naas Botha (born 27 February 1958) is a Northern Transvaal and Springboks
former Rugby union
player. He was voted Rugby Player of the Year. Botha mostly played in the fly-half position and is now a rugby commentator for the South African M-Net
and Supersport TV channels.
in the eastern Transvaal
(now in Mpumalanga
), South Africa and went to school at the Hendrik Verwoerd High School
in Pretoria
. As a child, Botha aspired to playing professional baseball
and applied for a sport scholarship
in the United States. Botha was also an excellent schools cricket and tennis player and also a hurdles athlete.
However, Botha was selected to play for the South African under-20 rugby team, where he caught the eye of the selectors while still a student at the University of Pretoria
. As a result, Botha played his first Test for the Springboks on 26 April 1980 at the age of 22 in the flyhalf position against South America at Wanderers
, Johannesburg
.
toured South Africa in 1980
. He is best remembered for his abilities as a very successful drop-kicker in high pressure situations and is also considered to have had an outstanding tactical understanding of rugby.
While Botha was sometimes criticized for avoiding physical contact and not running with the ball, his handling of the ball was very deft and he could get his backline moving very quickly with accurate short and long range passing. As a result, he scored many tries and contributed to many more. However, some consider that he was somewhat weak in defence. Nevertheless, Danie Craven
once said, "Give me Naas, and I'll conquer the world!"
Botha remained the highest points scorer in Springbok rugby history for a number of years, with a points total of 312, until 17 July 2004, when his tally was passed by Percy Montgomery
. However, Montgomery passed him in his 50th match, while Botha had only played in 28. Many are of the opinion that Botha's score would have been much higher if South African rugby had not been isolated from the rest of the world because of the country's apartheid policies during his prime rugby-playing period.
In addition to his Springbok rugby-playing duties, Botha also played for the Northern Transvaal province (nicknamed the "Blue Bulls
", which they have since adopted as their official name) from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. During this period his contributions ensured that they dominated South African rugby and won the Currie Cup
nine times (sharing it twice with Western Province in 1979 and 1989). He was also captain of the province a record 128 times and scored a record 2,511 points (including 1,699 points in the Currie Cup).
. Public opinion was deeply divided over the New Zealand tour, but Botha and his fellow Springboks focused on playing rugby, which was made difficult by actions such as pitch invasions and aircraft fly-bys from protesters opposed to South Africa’s apartheid policies. South Africa lost the series 2-1, but the implications of the tour went far beyond rugby.
As an indirect result of this tour, South Africa was banned by the International Rugby Board
from international competition until 1992, which meant apart from hosting the rebel New Zealand Cavaliers tour in 1986, Botha played few international games. Domestically he made up for it, however: in 15 seasons playing for Northern Transvaal he played in 11 Currie Cup finals, winning nine (two shared) and scoring a record 2,511 points.
team the Dallas Cowboys
in order to try out as a placekicker
. This move was not successful, however, and he returned to South Africa to continue his rugby career. While in the United States, Naas played rugby with the Dallas Harlequins
, where he led them to the 1984 USA National Club Championships.
In 1987, once again primarily for monetary considerations, Botha moved to the Italian club Rugby Rovigo
, where he played 119 games and helped them win two National Championships (in 1988 and 1990).
at Twickenham
, London. He had set countless Springbok records during his rugby career and is still considered to be one of the Springbok "greats".
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
former Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He was voted Rugby Player of the Year. Botha mostly played in the fly-half position and is now a rugby commentator for the South African M-Net
M-Net
M-Net is a subscription-funded television channel in South Africa, established in 1986 by Naspers....
and Supersport TV channels.
Family and Early Career
Botha was born in the town of BreytenBreyten
Breyten is a small farming town in Mpumalanga, South Africa and is situated at the foot of Klipstapel, the highest point on the watershed between the westward flowing Vaal River system and the eastward flowing Olifants and Komati River systems...
in the eastern Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
(now in Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
), South Africa and went to school at the Hendrik Verwoerd High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
. As a child, Botha aspired to playing professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and applied for a sport scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
in the United States. Botha was also an excellent schools cricket and tennis player and also a hurdles athlete.
However, Botha was selected to play for the South African under-20 rugby team, where he caught the eye of the selectors while still a student at the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
. As a result, Botha played his first Test for the Springboks on 26 April 1980 at the age of 22 in the flyhalf position against South America at Wanderers
Wanderers Stadium
BIDVest Wanderers Stadium is a stadium situated just south of Sandton in Illovo, Johannesburg in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Test, One Day and First class cricket matches are played here. It is also the home ground for the Highveld Lions, formerly known as Gauteng .The stadium has a seating...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.
Rugby Union
Botha was best known for extremely accurate (both left- and right-footed) kicking, which earned him the nickname "Nasty Booter" from the British press when the British LionsBritish and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
toured South Africa in 1980
1980 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1980 the British Lions rugby union team toured South Africa . The tour was not a success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the first three tests before salvaging some pride with a win in the fourth...
. He is best remembered for his abilities as a very successful drop-kicker in high pressure situations and is also considered to have had an outstanding tactical understanding of rugby.
While Botha was sometimes criticized for avoiding physical contact and not running with the ball, his handling of the ball was very deft and he could get his backline moving very quickly with accurate short and long range passing. As a result, he scored many tries and contributed to many more. However, some consider that he was somewhat weak in defence. Nevertheless, Danie Craven
Danie Craven
Daniël Hartman Craven , more famously known as Danie Craven or simply Doc Craven, is a former Western Province, Eastern Province, Northern Transvaal and Springbok rugby union player as well as arguably South Africa's best and best-known rugby administrator...
once said, "Give me Naas, and I'll conquer the world!"
Botha remained the highest points scorer in Springbok rugby history for a number of years, with a points total of 312, until 17 July 2004, when his tally was passed by Percy Montgomery
Percy Montgomery
Percival Colin "Percy" Montgomery is a retired South African rugby union player...
. However, Montgomery passed him in his 50th match, while Botha had only played in 28. Many are of the opinion that Botha's score would have been much higher if South African rugby had not been isolated from the rest of the world because of the country's apartheid policies during his prime rugby-playing period.
In addition to his Springbok rugby-playing duties, Botha also played for the Northern Transvaal province (nicknamed the "Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
", which they have since adopted as their official name) from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. During this period his contributions ensured that they dominated South African rugby and won the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
nine times (sharing it twice with Western Province in 1979 and 1989). He was also captain of the province a record 128 times and scored a record 2,511 points (including 1,699 points in the Currie Cup).
The 1981 tour and sporting bans
In 1981 Botha travelled with the Springboks to South America; they subsequently beat Ireland and France in their warm-up to their tour of New Zealand1981 Springbok Tour
The 1981 South African rugby union tour of New Zealand was a controversial tour of New Zealand by the South Africa national rugby union team, known as "the Springboks"...
. Public opinion was deeply divided over the New Zealand tour, but Botha and his fellow Springboks focused on playing rugby, which was made difficult by actions such as pitch invasions and aircraft fly-bys from protesters opposed to South Africa’s apartheid policies. South Africa lost the series 2-1, but the implications of the tour went far beyond rugby.
As an indirect result of this tour, South Africa was banned by the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
from international competition until 1992, which meant apart from hosting the rebel New Zealand Cavaliers tour in 1986, Botha played few international games. Domestically he made up for it, however: in 15 seasons playing for Northern Transvaal he played in 11 Currie Cup finals, winning nine (two shared) and scoring a record 2,511 points.
International career
In the pre-professional era that Botha played in, being paid to play rugby was always a controversial subject. Despite being handsomely paid "under the table", Botha was of the opinion that he could earn more in professional sport and thus he travelled to the United States in 1983 on the invitation of the American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in order to try out as a placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
. This move was not successful, however, and he returned to South Africa to continue his rugby career. While in the United States, Naas played rugby with the Dallas Harlequins
Dallas Harlequins
The Dallas Harlequins Rugby Football Club is a SuperLeague rugby union team based in Dallas, Texas.-History:The Harlequins formed in 1971. A year after inception, in 1972, the Harlequins became the first Texas RFU club to win a match against a club from outside the United States when they defeated...
, where he led them to the 1984 USA National Club Championships.
In 1987, once again primarily for monetary considerations, Botha moved to the Italian club Rugby Rovigo
Rugby Rovigo
Rugby Rovigo Delta are an Italian rugby union club currently competing in Super 10.They are based in Rovigo in Veneto....
, where he played 119 games and helped them win two National Championships (in 1988 and 1990).
Return to the Springboks
Botha's career lasted long enough for him to see South Africa let back into the international rugby fold and to play in one-off Tests against World Cup holders Australia and New Zealand. Both games ended in defeat and Botha then toured France with the Springboks before bowing out in a 33-16 defeat on 14 November 1992 at the age of 34 as flyhalf against EnglandEngland national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, London. He had set countless Springbok records during his rugby career and is still considered to be one of the Springbok "greats".
Personal life
Botha is married to Karen, a former Springbok athlete and record-holder; the couple have three daughters. He also has a son, from a previous relationship, Francois Jooste, who currently lives in Pretoria.Affectionate nicknames
Baas van die plaas Naas - This nickname came about from Naas being a baas van sy plaasCareer stats
- Test CapCap (sport)In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
Record: Played 28, Won 19, Lost 9- Test Points: 312
- Tries: 2
- Penalties: 50
- Conversions: 50
- Drop Goals: 18