Rugby, as any sport, is a psychological game. As such, psychology tricks work, both on one self, and on the others. Players do know it, coaches do know it and even fans know it.
So, the typical prop tactics of looking upong you as if you were unable to match him in the front row of a scrum, as if silently saying: "What are you doing here, son?" simply work. They do.
The Bulls did win the physical battle against the Hurricanes and they played better in a game that had more of the old Springboks-All Blacks rivalry than it had of the Super 14 Bulls-Hurricanes.
Or so it seemed as fellow Bakkies Botha, not very clever, perhaps, spear-tackled a Hurricanes player and while he was being warned by the referee he made jokes (in Afrikaans, I imagine) of the tackled player (that all his teammates around him laughed, of course).
Two things are clear to me:
- Bakkies Botha ain't an intelligent guy.
- Bakkies Botha ain't a good guy.
A force, a brute, a power of the nature, but not a good guy, for sure.
I do think, however, that the Bulls are the strongest side of a very very open super 14 season.
Friday’s Rugby News.
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Welcome one, welcome all to another Friday’s Rugby News. and another rugby
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6 comments:
It is hard to believe but Bakkies Botha, the enforcer, like Jaco Van der westhuisen and Albert Van der Berg is a very religious fellow. He may be a bad guy but as they say in NZ...he has mongrel. I like him but he is starting to get a reputation that he has worked on since 1998 in France.
"God or no God, good people will do good and evil people will do evil"
S. Weinberg
I rate him as a hell of a good player (although last season I thought Brad Thorn totally out-played him) but I don't like his attitude anyway.
He's got a God given mongrel attitude and , in fairness to you, lots of people question the thuggery of Bakkies(John) Botha.
I happen to like players with mongrel.
The lock I have loved for years is Ross Filipo. He and Paul Tito were my favourite locks who never made it much past the Maori side although I think if age doesn't get to him we'll see more of Filipo.
Thorn had a great season last year, greater than Ali Williams the year before but time has just about caught up to Thorn, who was the best lock in the autrumn bar none. It's a pituy Keith Robinson couldn't have played a bit more.
I think Bakkies is a great guy! I know he's a very committed Christian, and I imagine he has to go to confession very often.
But he's a great player - yes he's an enforcer but I don't think he's a dirty player. I don't think there's any malice in what he does; as soon as the game's over he's the first in there with the hand shaking.
Sure, Tomás de Torquemada was a very religious fellow, but that did not exactly qualify him to be a good guy.
I think Bakkies Botha is not a good guy on the field, but, I must admit I have never heard of him being involved in any such off-field spectacle like Kaino, Moa, Palu, Cowan, Lauaki, Coles, Cipriani or many others.
What I did not like of him was his attitude towards his opponents.
I do not deny, however, his absolute devotion for his religion once he's off the field.
Writing about Bakkies, you must know him. I have the greatest respect for him. He knows where his talent is coming from, and he is always giving praise to his Maker. I think he is awesome!
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