Springbok legends Bakkies Botha and Bismarck du Plessis have reflected on what makes the All Blacks rivalry so special. CLINTON VAN DER BERG reports.
For Botha, long labelled rugby’s ultimate enforcer, Test rugby against the All Blacks was the benchmark by which he measured his entire career.
“To play against the All Blacks was the ultimate, and especially physically-wise,” Botha said at Tuesday’s announcement at FNB Stadium that Castle Double Malt would be the title sponsor of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. “To play against amazing players like Ali Williams, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw and Dan Carter was amazing.”
Botha said the return of marquee fixtures against New Zealand gives a new generation of players the chance to test themselves against the very best, something he never took for granted.
“I always tested myself against the All Blacks. When that haka is finished, something is gonna bleed or break.”
It’s the friendships forged on the other side of brutal Test battles that mean the most to Botha. He recalled a lesson from Frik du Preez that has stuck with him .
“He said to me, ‘Bakkies, I didn’t actually make good money out of rugby, but I made friends around the world’, and that’s definitely what makes rugby so special.”
MORE: Fitzy relishing Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
Du Plessis echoed Botha’s sentiments, describing the mutual respect between the two nations as central to the rivalry’s magic.
“What was always special about playing against New Zealand was the fact that they respected us and we respected them,” Du Plessis said. “Irrespective of who you are, irrespective of what you believed in, we respected each other.”
He recalled growing up as a young boy in Bethlehem and sleeping beside his father’s bed because it was the only room with a TV, so they could get up early to watch the Boks play the All Blacks.
“I never dreamed of playing for the Boks. I dreamed of maybe 20 games for the provincial side, or our town of Bethlehem.”
SPECIAL REPORT: Inside the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour
Reflecting now, he says rugby’s greatest gift was the friendships he made. He and Andrew Hore would hunt on the Wednesday, then bash one another on the Saturday.
“Professional sport took out friendships, relationships [like that].”
Happily, “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” aims to restore some of those grand traditions.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures
Friday, 7 August: vs Stormers, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday, 11 August: vs Sharks, Kings Park, Durban
Saturday, 15 August: vs Vodacom Bulls, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday, 22 August: vs Springboks, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Tuesday, 25 August: vs Lions, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Saturday, 29 August: vs Springboks, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Saturday, 5 September: vs Springboks, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Saturday 12 September: vs Springboks, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Bakkies: Something is gonna bleed or break appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok legends Bakkies Botha and Bismarck du Plessis have reflected on what makes the All Blacks rivalry so special.
The post Bakkies: Something is gonna bleed or break appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
