‘Real enforcer’ humbled by Laporte

BAKKIES Botha, now 41, may have been a “meanie” on the rugby pitch but he has shown his emotional side too in paying tribute to his former Toulon coach Bernard Laporte.

In a recent interview with beINSports TV in France, Laporte, the World Rugby vice-chairman and French Rugby Federation president, praised the Springbok hard man for his time at Toulon from 2011-2015.

It was a trophy-filled time for the club, with three consecutive European Cup titles from 2013 and the 2014 French Top 14 crown.

Looking back on his favourite players, Laporte, a former France team coach, said: “Bakkies Botha is the greatest player I have coached in my career. Of course difficult to compare because Jonny Wilkinson was excellent, Matt Giteau was monstrous, but Bakkies was so strong physically. And I would have liked so much to be like him on the field to scare everyone and smash everyone. As a player, I’d say Bakkies Botha was my idol. He arrived in Toulon at the same time as me. At the time of his departure from the club, he called to tell me he wanted to see me. He shook my hand when we met and told me he didn’t know if we were going to meet again, but he wanted to tell me that I had been the best coach he had ever had.”

Yesterday, former lock Botha – who won Super Rugby and Currie Cup titles with the Bulls, and played 85 Tests for the Springoks from 2002 to 2014 – responded to Laporte.

“I have always thought of myself of a kind, but to read a special man like @BernardLaporte_ say I was the best player he ever coached made me feel humbled but also proud. I went to @rugbytoulon_ to create rugby history and we did. Regards and Blessings THE REAL ENFORCER”