Naas Botha
Full names: Hendrik Egnatius
Date of birth: 27 Feb 1958
Place of birth: Breyten
School: Hendrik Verwoerd
Springbok no: 502
Springbok debut province: Northern Transvaal
Physical: 1.79m, 73.0kg
Current age: 66
Test summary: Tests: 28 Tries: 2
First Test: 26 Apr 1980 Age 22 - Flyhalf against South America at Wanderers, Johannesburg
Last Test: 14 Nov 1992 Age 34 - Flyhalf against England at Twickenham, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
26 Apr 1980 22Flyhalf South America Wanderers, Johannesburg Win: 24-93 conversions, 1 penalty, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
03 May 1980 22Flyhalf South America Kingspark, Durban Win: 18-91 conversion, 1 penalty, 3 dropgoals N-Tvl
31 May 1980 22Flyhalf Britain Newlands, Cape Town Win: 26-223 conversions N-Tvl
14 Jun 1980 22Flyhalf Britain Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 26-192 conversions, 2 penalties N-Tvl
28 Jun 1980 22Flyhalf Britain Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 12-101 conversion, 1 penalty, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
12 Jul 1980 22Flyhalf Britain Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Lose: 13-171 penalty N-Tvl
18 Oct 1980 22Flyhalf South America Wanderers Club, Montevideo Win: 22-132 conversions, 1 penalty, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
25 Oct 1980 22Flyhalf South America Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago Win: 30-163 conversions N-Tvl
08 Nov 1980 22Flyhalf France Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 37-154 conversions, 3 penalties N-Tvl
30 May 1981 23Flyhalf Ireland Newlands, Cape Town Win: 23-151 conversion, 3 penalties N-Tvl
06 Jun 1981 23Flyhalf Ireland Kingspark, Durban Win: 12-101 penalty, 3 dropgoals N-Tvl
15 Aug 1981 23Flyhalf New Zealand Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), Christchurch Lose: 9-141 conversion, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
29 Aug 1981 23Flyhalf New Zealand Athletic Park, Wellington Win: 24-121 conversion, 5 penalties, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
12 Sep 1981 23Flyhalf New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland Lose: 22-252 conversions, 2 penalties N-Tvl
25 Sep 1981 23Flyhalf USA Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, NY Win: 38-73 conversions N-Tvl
27 Mar 1982 24Flyhalf South America Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 50-186 conversions, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
03 Apr 1982 24Flyhalf South America Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Lose: 12-211 conversion, 2 penalties N-Tvl
10 May 1986 28Flyhalf (C) NZ Cavaliers Newlands, Cape Town Win: 21-151 conversion, 3 penalties, 2 dropgoals N-Tvl
17 May 1986 28Flyhalf (C) NZ Cavaliers Kingspark, Durban Lose: 18-191 conversion, 4 penalties N-Tvl
24 May 1986 28Flyhalf (C) NZ Cavaliers Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 33-181 try, 4 conversions, 3 penalties N-Tvl
31 May 1986 28Flyhalf (C) NZ Cavaliers Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 24-101 conversion, 5 penalties N-Tvl
26 Aug 1989 31Flyhalf World Invitation Newlands, Cape Town Win: 20-191 try, 1 conversion, 2 penalties N-Tvl
02 Sep 1989 31Flyhalf World Invitation Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 22-161 conversion, 3 penalties, 1 dropgoal N-Tvl
15 Aug 1992 34Flyhalf (C) New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 24-273 conversions, 1 penalty Blue Bulls
22 Aug 1992 34Flyhalf (C) Australia Newlands, Cape Town Lose: 3-261 penalty Blue Bulls
17 Oct 1992 34Flyhalf (C) France Stade de Gerland, Lyon Win: 20-152 conversions, 1 penalty, 1 dropgoal Blue Bulls
24 Oct 1992 34Flyhalf (C) France Parc des Princes, Paris Lose: 16-291 conversion, 2 penalties, 1 dropgoal Blue Bulls
14 Nov 1992 34Flyhalf (C) England Twickenham, London Lose: 16-331 conversion, 2 penalties, 1 dropgoal Blue Bulls

The Naas Botha of today is a well-known rugby commentator on the South African Supersport Channel, but in his day as a player he was one of the most feared match-winners in the game. Botha was best known for his deadly boot – whether he was punting the ball, place-kicking or drop-kicking, he stood in a class of his own.

Such was his brilliance that it didn’t take the British press long to dub him “Nasty Booter” when the Lions toured South Africa in 1980. They found out just how nasty he could be in the third test in Port Elizabeth when Botha, under immense pressure, put a touchline conversion between the uprights in wet conditions to give the Springboks a 12-10 victory and an unbeatable three-nil series lead.

Botha was more than just a points machine, however. His tactical understanding of the game was outstanding and his ability to dominate a match with the boot beyond compare. Reading the game like a chess master, he would keep the opposition continually on the back foot, and was always a step ahead of the rest because he could put what was in his mind into practice.

Kicking with equal ease with left or right foot, he could put the ball into touch, or between the uprights, or into the hands of a breakaway wing, seemingly at will.

To categorise Botha as a kicking flyhalf alone would do the man a great injustice. Blessed with superb hands, Botha got a backline moving very quickly, and the fact of the matter is that backlines playing with him scored a good many tries. Although he seldom took the ball up in the manner of the modern-day flyhalf, he had an eye for a gap and was a deceptively fast runner, resulting in a good number of tries for the blond-haired flyhalf or those in support of him.

Probably, though, Botha will best be remembered for his uncanny ability as a drop-kicker. In the wink of an eye he could change the course of a game with a beautifully struck drop goal, and trying to defend against it was impossible given his ability to make the snap drop-kick without warning and with either foot.

In one match against Natal in 1992, he dropped five goals. He was an extremely elusive player, with an excellent jink. Every opponent he faced knew he was the kingpin they needed to unsettle, but seldom did they manage to lay a hand on him.

Botha was hated by fans of teams that his Northern Transvaal side faced in provincial competition – and adored by those same supporters when he turned out for the Springboks. There was a similarity between Botha and the legendary New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick in that opposition fans hated him, but all would have loved to have him in their side.

Today the former Bok captain remains the highest scorer in Springbok history, and had he been playing in recent years, with far more matches, there is no doubt that he would have far exceeded his points total of 312. As it was, he was in his prime and played for many years when South Africa was isolated from the rest of the world, denying him the chance of achieving even greater success on the world stage.

He played for Northern Transvaal from the late 1970s into the early 1990s, and during that time the Blue Bulls won the Currie Cup six times, in large part due to his contributions. He captained the province a record 128 times and scored a record 2 511 points, including 1 699 points in the Currie Cup.

Botha also has the distinction, uncommon among rugby players, of having a rose named after him. Long may “Rosa Naas Botha” bloom, to remind us of one the greatest Springboks and flyhalves the world of rugby has ever seen