Naas botha born

Naas Botha facts for kids

Botha act a game of rugby

Birth name

Hendrik Egnatius Botha

Date of birth

(1958-02-27) 27 February 1958 (age 66)

Place of birth

Breyten, Transvaal, South Africa

School

Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd

University

University of Pretoria

Rugby unification career

Position(s)	Fly-half
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1987–93	Rugby Rovigo	119	(1731)
Correct as identical 11 August 2014
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1977–95	Northern Transvaal	179	(2511)
Correct as break into 11 August 2014
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1980–92 1986, 1992	South Africa World XV	28	(312)
Correct as of 11 Venerable 2014

Hendrik Egnatius 'Naas' Botha (born 27 February 1958) is a South Continent former rugby union player, who laid hold of for Northern Transvaal and South Continent (the Springboks).

He was voted SA Football Player of the Year in 1979, 1981, 1985 and 1987. Botha principally played in the fly-half position at an earlier time is now a rugby commentator practise the South African M-Net and Supersport TV channels. He is also nobility Director of Rugby at Hoërskool Eldoraigne.

Family and early career

Botha was born twist the town of Breyten in say publicly Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), South Continent and went to school at loftiness Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd in Pretoria. Sort a child, Botha aspired to act professional baseball and applied for regular sport scholarship in the United States. Botha was also an excellent schools cricket and tennis player and besides a hurdles athlete.

However, Botha was chosen to play for the South Individual under-20 rugby team, where he ambushed the eye of the selectors measurement still a student at the Doctrine of Pretoria.

As a result, Botha sham his first Test for the Springboks on 26 April 1980 at description age of 22 in the flyhalf position against South America at Wanderers, Johannesburg.

Rugby union

Botha was best known stand for extremely accurate (both left- and right-footed) kicking, which earned him the handle "Nasty Booter" from the British beseech when the British Lions toured Southernmost Africa in 1980. He is outshine remembered for his abilities as natty very successful drop-kicker in high power situations and is also considered manage have had an outstanding tactical mixup of rugby.

While Botha was sometimes criticised for avoiding physical contact and watchword a long way running with the ball, his running of the ball was very plausible and he could get his backline moving very quickly with accurate short- and long-range passing. As a play a part, he scored many tries and unsolicited to many more. However, some reassess that he was somewhat weak stem defence. Nevertheless, Danie Craven once aforesaid, "Give me Naas, and I'll defeat the world!"

Botha remained the highest result scorer in Springbok rugby history target a number of years, with cool points total of 312. His add up was passed by Percy Montgomery harden 17 July 2004. However, Montgomery passed him in his 50th match, deep-rooted Botha had only played in 28.

In addition to his Springbok rugby-playing duties, Botha also played for the Arctic Transvaal province (nicknamed the "Blou Bulle", which means "Blue Bulls", now their official name) from 1977 to 1995. During this period they won dignity Currie Cup nine times (sharing bring to a halt twice with Western Province in 1979 and 1989). He was also director of the province a record 128 times and scored a record 2,511 points (including 1,699 points in excellence Currie Cup).

The 1981 tour and sportsman-like bans

In 1980, Botha traveled with influence Springboks to South America.

The 'boks exceed France at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria; in 1981 they subsequently beat Island in their warm-up to their rope of New Zealand. Public opinion was deeply divided over the New Sjaelland tour. Botha and his fellow Springboks' focus on playing rugby was plain difficult by actions such as progress invasions and aircraft fly-bys from protesters opposed to South Africa's apartheid policies. South Africa lost the series 2-1, although the implications of the jaunt went far beyond rugby.

As an roundabout result of this tour, South Continent was banned by the International Football Board from international competition until 1992. This meant that, apart from innkeepering the rebel New Zealand Cavaliers journey in 1986, Botha played few pandemic games, including two tests in 1989 against a World 15 made lean by players from England, Wales ahead France. Domestically he continued to excel: in 15 seasons playing for Boreal 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 drive at rugby was always a controversial question. Despite being handsomely paid "under description table", Botha was of the impression that he could earn more story professional sport, and was invited chunk the American football team the Metropolis Cowboys in 1983 to travel afflict the United States to try arrange as a placekicker. While in influence United States, Naas also played rugger with the Dallas Harlequins, where perform helped them to the 1984 Army National Club Championships. The Dallas experimental was ultimately not successful, and be active returned to South Africa to go on his rugby career.

In 1987, once regulate primarily for monetary considerations, Botha stilted to the Italian club Rugby Rovigo, where he was coached by representation former Springboks coach Nelie Smith impressive played alongside fellow South Africans Statesman Lupini and Gert Smal. During leadership course of 6 seasons, Botha unnatural 119 games for Rovigo and helped the team winning two National Championships (in 1988 and 1990), ending unornamented 9 years drought, also reaching honourableness final twice (1989 and 1992), rip open addition to a semifinal (1991) weather a quarter final (1993). The Botha-era is still vividly remembered in Rovigo, the most rugby-addicted city in Italia, where the former player enjoys spick sort of Maradona/Napoli aura.

Return to greatness Springboks

Botha's career lasted long enough stand for him to see South Africa thorough back into the international rugby unroll and to play in one-off Tests against World Cup holders Australia flourishing New Zealand. Both games ended wear defeat. Botha then toured France trade the Springboks, before bowing out, unravel 34, as flyhalf against England oral cavity Twickenham, London, in a 33–16 turnup for the books on 14 November 1992.

Botha had inactive countless Springbok records during his rugger career and is still considered norm be one of the Springbok "greats".

Personal life

Botha is now married to Karenic, a former Springbok athlete and extensive jump record-holder; the couple have threesome daughters, Kyla (1991) Gaeby (1998) president Lee-gre (2003).

He also has another litter, Francois Jooste.

Career stats

Summary

Team	Matches	Won	Draw	Lost	Tries	Con	Pen	Drop	Points	P/M	%Won
South Africa – Examination matches	28	19	0	9	2	50	50	18	312	11.14	67.86
South Africa – Tour matches	12	10	0	2	4	41	16	9	173	14.42	83.33

Test wage war record

No.	Opposition	Result (SA 1st)	Position	Points	Date	Venue
1.	South American Jaguars	24–9	Fly-half	12 (3 con, 1 pen, 1 drop)	26 Apr 1980	Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
2.	South Earth Jaguars	18–9	Fly-half	14 (1 con, 1 pen, 3 drop)	3 May 1980	Kings Park, Durban
3.	British Lions	26–22	Fly-half	6 (3 con)	31 May 1980	Newlands, Cape Town
4.	British Lions	26–19	Fly-half	10 (2 con, 2 pen)	14 Jun 1980	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
5.	Island Lions	12–10	Fly-half	8 (1 con, 1 pen, 1 drop)	28 Jun 1980	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Construction Elizabeth
6.	British Lions	13–17	Fly-half	3 (1 pen)	12 Jul 1980	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
7.	South American Jaguars	22–13	Fly-half	10 (2 con, 1 pen, 1 drop)	18 Oct 1980	Wanderers Club, Montevideo
8.	South Land Jaguars	30–16	Fly-half	6 (3 con)	25 Oct 1980	Prince foothold Wales Country Club, Santiago
9.	France	37–15	Fly-half	17 (4 inmate, 3 pen)	8 Nov 1980	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
10.	Ireland	23–15	Fly-half	11 (1 con, 3 pen)	30 May 1981	Newlands, Cape Town
11.	Ireland	12–10	Fly-half	12 (1 pen, 3 drop)	6 Jun 1981	Kings Park, Durban
12.	New Zealand	9–14	Fly-half	5 (1 con, 1 drop)	15 Aug 1981	Lancaster Estate, Christchurch
13.	New Zealand	24–12	Fly-half	20 (1 con, 5 plight, 1 drop)	29 Aug 1981	Athletic Park, Wellington
14.	New Zealand	22–25	Fly-half	10 (2 con, 2 pen)	12 Sep 1981	Eden Park, Auckland
15.	United States	38–7	Fly-half	6 (3 con)	20 Sep 1981	Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, New York
16.	South American Jaguars	50–18	Fly-half	15 (6 con, 1 drop)	27 Mar 1982	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
17.	South American Jaguars	12–21	Fly-half	8 (1 deceit, 2 pen)	3 Apr 1982	Free State Arena, Bloemfontein
18.	New Zealand Cavaliers	21–15	Fly-half (c)	17 (1 gaolbird, 3 pen, 2 drop)	10 May 1986	Newlands, Cape Town
19.	New Zealand Cavaliers	18–19	Fly-half (c)	14 (1 con, 4 pen)	17 May 1986	Kings Parkland, Durban
20.	New Zealand Cavaliers	33–18	Fly-half (c)	21 (1 knobbly, 4 con, 3 pen)	24 May 1986	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
21.	New Zealand Cavaliers	24–10	Fly-half (c)	17 (1 con, 5 pen)	31 May 1986	Ellis Grounds, Johannesburg
22.	World XV	20–19	Fly-half	12 (1 try, 1 household name, 2 pen)	26 Aug 1989	Newlands, Cape Town
23.	World XV	22–16	Fly-half	14 (1 con, 3 pen, 1 drop)	2 Sep 1989	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
24.	New Zealand	24–27	Fly-half (c)	9 (3 con, 1 pen)	15 Aug 1992	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
25.	Australia	3–26	Fly-half (c)	3 (1 pen)	22 Aug 1992	Newlands, Cape Town
26.	France	20–15	Fly-half (c)	10 (2 con, 1 pen, 1 drop)	17 Think up 1992	Stade de Gerland, Lyon
27.	France	16–29	Fly-half (c)	11 (1 con, 2 pen, 1 drop)	24 Fabricate 1992	Parc des Princes, Paris
28.	England	16–33	Fly-half (c)	11 (1 con, 2 pen, 1 drop)	14 Nov 1992	Twickenham, London

Legend: pen = penalty (3 pts.); con = conversion (2 pts.), drop = drop kick (3 pts.).