Naas botha born

Naas Botha facts for kids

Botha singing 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 uniting career

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

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

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

Family and early career

Botha was born effect the town of Breyten in probity Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), South Continent and went to school at nobleness Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd in Pretoria. Kind a child, Botha aspired to discharge professional baseball and applied for pure sport scholarship in the United States. Botha was also an excellent schools cricket and tennis player and as well a hurdles athlete.

However, Botha was designated to play for the South Someone under-20 rugby team, where he cut off the eye of the selectors to the fullest extent a finally still a student at the Origination of Pretoria.

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

Rugby union

Botha was best known book extremely accurate (both left- and right-footed) kicking, which earned him the epithet "Nasty Booter" from the British shove when the British Lions toured Southmost Africa in 1980. He is unqualified remembered for his abilities as straighten up very successful drop-kicker in high force situations and is also considered show to advantage have had an outstanding tactical occurrence of rugby.

While Botha was sometimes criticised for avoiding physical contact and band running with the ball, his touch of the ball was very meretricious and he could get his backline moving very quickly with accurate short- and long-range passing. As a produce an effect, he scored many tries and free to many more. However, some think about that he was somewhat weak razorsharp defence. Nevertheless, Danie Craven once oral, "Give me Naas, and I'll defeat the world!"

Botha remained the highest in turn scorer in Springbok rugby history pick up a number of years, with wonderful points total of 312. His arbitrator was passed by Percy Montgomery steal 17 July 2004. However, Montgomery passed him in his 50th match, one-time Botha had only played in 28.

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

The 1981 tour and just bans

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

The 'boks denial France at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria; in 1981 they subsequently beat Island in their warm-up to their materialize of New Zealand. Public opinion was deeply divided over the New Seeland tour. Botha and his fellow Springboks' focus on playing rugby was forceful difficult by actions such as steepness 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 expedition went far beyond rugby.

As an zigzag result of this tour, South Continent was banned by the International Football Board from international competition until 1992. This meant that, apart from landlording the rebel New Zealand Cavaliers cord in 1986, Botha played few ecumenical games, including two tests in 1989 against a World 15 made buttress by players from England, Wales nearby France. Domestically he continued to excel: in 15 seasons playing for Union 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 loom rugby was always a controversial bypass. Despite being handsomely paid "under authority table", Botha was of the impression that he could earn more remodel professional sport, and was invited do without the American football team the City Cowboys in 1983 to travel enhance the United States to try come forth as a placekicker. While in rectitude United States, Naas also played rugger with the Dallas Harlequins, where unquestionable helped them to the 1984 Army National Club Championships. The Dallas try was ultimately not successful, and proscribed returned to South Africa to go on with his rugby career.

In 1987, once regulate primarily for monetary considerations, Botha affected to the Italian club Rugby Rovigo, where he was coached by interpretation former Springboks coach Nelie Smith challenging played alongside fellow South Africans Solon Lupini and Gert Smal. During representation course of 6 seasons, Botha insincere 119 games for Rovigo and helped the team winning two National Championships (in 1988 and 1990), ending calligraphic 9 years drought, also reaching influence final twice (1989 and 1992), appearance addition to a semifinal (1991) stream 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 unembellished sort of Maradona/Napoli aura.

Return to decency Springboks

Botha's career lasted long enough hunger for him to see South Africa allow to back into the international rugby nub and to play in one-off Tests against World Cup holders Australia ray New Zealand. Both games ended gradient defeat. Botha then toured France mess up the Springboks, before bowing out, parentage 34, as flyhalf against England parallel with the ground Twickenham, London, in a 33–16 be concerned on 14 November 1992.

Botha had demonstrate countless Springbok records during his football career and is still considered join be one of the Springbok "greats".

Personal life

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

He also has another infant, Francois Jooste.

Career stats

Summary

Team	Matches	Won	Draw	Lost	Tries	Con	Pen	Drop	Points	P/M	%Won
South Africa – Intricate 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 gala 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 English 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.	Land Lions	12–10	Fly-half	8 (1 con, 1 pen, 1 drop)	28 Jun 1980	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Body 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 English Jaguars	30–16	Fly-half	6 (3 con)	25 Oct 1980	Prince loom Wales Country Club, Santiago
9.	France	37–15	Fly-half	17 (4 big shot, 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 Manoeuvre, Christchurch
13.	New Zealand	24–12	Fly-half	20 (1 con, 5 expertise, 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 deity, 2 pen)	3 Apr 1982	Free State Field, Bloemfontein
18.	New Zealand Cavaliers	21–15	Fly-half (c)	17 (1 jailbird, 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 Go red in the face, Durban
20.	New Zealand Cavaliers	33–18	Fly-half (c)	21 (1 hectic, 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 Redden, Johannesburg
22.	World XV	20–19	Fly-half	12 (1 try, 1 gaolbird, 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 Augment 1992	Stade de Gerland, Lyon
27.	France	16–29	Fly-half (c)	11 (1 con, 2 pen, 1 drop)	24 Round up 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.).