Bakkies Botha
Full names: John Philip
Date of birth: 22 Sep 1979
Place of birth: Newcastle
Schools: HTS Middelburg Vereeniging
Springbok no: 733
Debut test province: Blue Bulls
Physical: 2.01m, 120kg
Current age: 44

Test summary: Tests: 85 Tries: 7
First Test: 9 Nov 2002 Age:23 Lock against France at Stade Velodrome, Marseilles
Last Test: 15 Nov 2014 Age:35 Reserve against England at Twickenham, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
09 Nov 200223LockFranceLose: 10-30 Stade Velodrome, MarseillesBlue Bulls
07 Jun 200323LockScotlandWin: 29-25 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
14 Jun 200323LockScotlandWin: 28-19 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
12 Jul 200323LockAustraliaWin: 26-22 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
19 Jul 200323LockNew ZealandLose: 16-52 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
02 Aug 200323ReserveAustraliaLose: 9-29 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
11 Oct 200324LockUruguayWin: 72-62 triesSubiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
18 Oct 200324LockEnglandLose: 6-25 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
24 Oct 200324LockGeorgiaWin: 46-191 trySydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), SydneyBlue Bulls
01 Nov 200324LockSamoaWin: 60-10 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
08 Nov 200324LockNew ZealandLose: 9-29 Colonial Stadium (Telstra Dome), MelbourneBlue Bulls
12 Jun 200424LockIrelandWin: 31-172 triesFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
17 Jul 200424LockPacific IslandsWin: 38-24 Central Coast Stadium, GosfordBlue Bulls
24 Jul 200424LockNew ZealandLose: 21-23 Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), ChristchurchBlue Bulls
31 Jul 200424LockAustraliaLose: 26-30 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
14 Aug 200424LockNew ZealandWin: 40-26 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
21 Aug 200424LockAustraliaWin: 23-19 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
06 Nov 200425LockWalesWin: 38-36 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
13 Nov 200425LockIrelandLose: 12-17 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinBlue Bulls
20 Nov 200425LockEnglandLose: 16-32 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
27 Nov 200425LockScotlandWin: 45-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
04 Dec 200425LockArgentinaWin: 39-7 Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
09 Jul 200525LockAustraliaLose: 12-30 Stadium Australia, SydneyBlue Bulls
23 Jul 200525LockAustraliaWin: 33-20 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
30 Jul 200525LockAustraliaWin: 22-16 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
06 Aug 200525LockNew ZealandWin: 22-16 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
20 Aug 200525LockAustraliaWin: 22-19 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
27 Aug 200525LockNew ZealandLose: 27-31 Carisbrook, DunedinBlue Bulls
05 Nov 200526LockArgentinaWin: 34-23 Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos AiresBlue Bulls
19 Nov 200526LockWalesWin: 33-16 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
26 Nov 200526LockFranceLose: 20-261 tryStade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
26 May 200727LockEnglandWin: 58-10 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
02 Jun 200727LockEnglandWin: 55-221 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
16 Jun 200727LockAustraliaWin: 22-19 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
23 Jun 200727LockNew ZealandLose: 21-26 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
15 Aug 200727LockNamibiaWin: 105-13 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
25 Aug 200727LockScotlandWin: 27-3 Murrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
09 Sep 200727LockSamoaWin: 59-7 Parc des Princes, ParisBlue Bulls
14 Sep 200727LockEnglandWin: 36-0 Stade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
22 Sep 200728LockTongaWin: 30-25 Stade Felix Bollaert, LensBlue Bulls
30 Sep 200728ReserveUSAWin: 64-15 Stade de la Mosson, MontpellierBlue Bulls
07 Oct 200728LockFijiWin: 37-20 Stade Velodrome, MarseillesBlue Bulls
14 Oct 200728LockArgentinaWin: 37-13 Stade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
20 Oct 200728LockEnglandWin: 15-6 Stade de France, ParisBlue Bulls
24 Nov 200728LockWalesWin: 34-12 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
07 Jun 200828LockWalesWin: 43-17 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
14 Jun 200828LockWalesWin: 37-21 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
21 Jun 200828LockItalyWin: 26-0 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
05 Jul 200828LockNew ZealandLose: 8-19 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonBlue Bulls
12 Jul 200828LockNew ZealandWin: 30-28 Carisbrook, DunedinBlue Bulls
19 Jul 200828LockAustraliaLose: 9-16 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
09 Aug 200828LockArgentinaWin: 63-9 Ellispark, JohannesburgBlue Bulls
08 Nov 200829LockWalesWin: 20-15 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
15 Nov 200829LockScotlandWin: 14-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
22 Nov 200829LockEnglandWin: 42-6 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
20 Jun 200929LockBritainWin: 26-21 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
27 Jun 200929LockBritainWin: 28-25 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaBlue Bulls
25 Jul 200929LockNew ZealandWin: 28-19 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinBlue Bulls
01 Aug 200929LockNew ZealandWin: 31-19 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
08 Aug 200929LockAustraliaWin: 29-17 Newlands, Cape TownBlue Bulls
29 Aug 200929LockAustraliaWin: 32-25 Subiaco Oval, PerthBlue Bulls
05 Sep 200929LockAustraliaLose: 6-21 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), BrisbaneBlue Bulls
12 Sep 200929LockNew ZealandWin: 32-29 Waikato Stadium, HamiltonBlue Bulls
13 Nov 200930LockFranceLose: 13-20 Stade Municipal, ToulouseBlue Bulls
21 Nov 200930LockItalyWin: 32-10 Stadio Friuli, UdineBlue Bulls
19 Jun 201030LockItalyWin: 29-13 Puma Stadium, WitbankBlue Bulls
26 Jun 201030LockItalyWin: 55-11 Basil Kenyon Stadium, East LondonBlue Bulls
10 Jul 201030LockNew ZealandLose: 12-32 Eden Park, AucklandBlue Bulls
06 Nov 201031LockIrelandWin: 23-21 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinBlue Bulls
13 Nov 201031LockWalesWin: 29-25 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffBlue Bulls
20 Nov 201031LockScotlandLose: 17-21 Murrayfield, EdinburghBlue Bulls
27 Nov 201031LockEnglandWin: 21-11 Twickenham, LondonBlue Bulls
13 Aug 201131LockAustraliaLose: 9-14 Kingspark, DurbanBlue Bulls
20 Aug 201131LockNew ZealandWin: 18-5 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port ElizabethBlue Bulls
17 Sep 201131LockFijiWin: 49-3 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonBlue Bulls
22 Sep 201132LockNamibiaWin: 87-0 North Harbour Stadium, North Shore CityBlue Bulls
17 Nov 201334LockScotlandWin: 28-0 Murrayfield, EdinburghToulon
23 Nov 201334ReserveFranceWin: 19-10 Stade de France, ParisToulon
14 Jun 201434LockWalesWin: 38-16 Kingspark, DurbanToulon
16 Aug 201434LockArgentinaWin: 13-6 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaToulon
23 Aug 201434ReserveArgentinaWin: 33-31 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, SaltaToulon
27 Sep 201435ReserveAustraliaWin: 28-10 Newlands, Cape TownToulon
04 Oct 201435ReserveNew ZealandWin: 27-25 Ellispark, JohannesburgToulon
08 Nov 201435ReserveIrelandLose: 15-29 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinToulon
15 Nov 201435ReserveEnglandWin: 31-28 Twickenham, LondonToulon

Bakkies Botha : Scrum.com

Botha is a giant of South African rugby and boasts a rugby CV that includes Rugby World Cup, Tri-Nations, Super 14 and Currie Cup success.

An U19, U23 and South Africa 'A' international, Botha made his senior bow against France in 2002 and has since gone on to cement his place in the Springboks' ranks and form arguably the strongest second row partnership in world rugby alongside Victor Matfield.

By the end of 2008 they had appeared alongside each other an incredible 46 times with Botha quoted as saying, "Sometimes I feel we know each other better than we know our wives." Sometime overshadowed by his second row partner, Botha more than holds his own in the lineout, and in the loose, and is seen as South Africa's enforcer.

He was part of South Africa's squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, scoring three tries, and would later help propel the Boks to only their second Tri-Nations crown. By that stage the indiscipline problems that had plagued the early part of his career appeared to have been banished under the influence of coach Jake White.

His second Rugby World Cup appearance followed in 2007 where he played a pivotal role in the Springboks' charge to the sport's biggest crown.

He reached the 50-cap milestone in the historic victory over New Zealand in Dunedin in 2008 but was later ruled out of the rest of the Tri-Nations with a posterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in the clash with Argentina.

But he returned for the Springboks undefeated end of year tour of the UK and featured in all three victories against Wales, Scotland and the record-win against England. It was in the latter game that Botha provided a prime example of his exemplary stamina and work-rate to chase down and tackle England speedster Delon Armitage.

On the domestic stage, Botha was also a member of the Bulls side that clinched the Super 14 crown in 2007 with a dramatic victory over South African rivals the Sharks, a feat that he repeated in 2009 before playing the first two Tests in the Springboks' series victory over the Lions.