Botha pushes emotion of last game aside

Vodacom Bulls flanker Arno Botha may be playing his last game for the Pretoria franchise in this weekend’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship final, but he certainly doesn’t want to think about the emotion that this will bring.

In fact, Botha has pushed aside all emotions on the game to focus on trying to end his time at the Bulls on a high before he joins Lyon in July.

But the flanker is wary of the emotions that run high with thoughts of last outings and the way it has backfired for so many players in the past. For that reason, he wants to treat the biggest game of the season like any other.

“It can definitely be one of the last games for me, it depends on the Currie Cup. I won’t say it is my motivation to play this weekend. To be honest I haven’t really thought about it. I will probably think about it after the game and let it sink in,” he said.

“For now it is all about being good this weekend. I feel if you start to think about things like that, then hidden emotions creep in which you would never show before. I’ve played 40 games for the Bulls and never shown that emotion of having a last game.

“For me it is more about helping the team. I can’t really take that extra emotion onto my shoulders now. It isn’t something I want to use, my performance is all for the team and the union.”

Botha, a deeply religious player, believes there was a reason he returned to Loftus and feels his time in Pretoria - the second stint after he returned from Munster - was one that was truly blessed.

“It is something I’m proud of. It is how the Lord blesses you, we don’t just take it for granted and as a team we don’t take it for granted. We believe I came back for a reason and the Lord blessed me with two Currie Cups and perhaps a URC title and another Currie Cup. I spoke about it with Ivan van Zyl.

“You are in Europe and suddenly there is a chance to return to the Bulls. Perhaps it wasn’t option A for me, but look what happened because of it. The fact I bought into the vision is what was lekker, and the players made it lekker. I can’t think there would be another team that I would have had a better year with, in terms of rugby or family.

“I can’t think there was a better place I could be,” he said.

Moving on from the side’s big win over Leinster last week was easy, according to Botha, especially as the side has realised the job isn’t done, and it all will mean little if they don’t back it up with the trophy this weekend.

“I wouldn’t say it is more difficult. It wasn’t this team’s first big victory - we did win the Currie Cup twice and most of the guys were there. It wasn’t that we didn’t enjoy it, but the message is that we can’t linger on it too long. When we went through our game we realised we need to move on and the next job is Saturday. We all understand it and know that’s what it is about.

“We know that they want to make it physical upfront, they have the forwards to do that. It’s definitely something we will look into and capitalise on it. It’s also a strong point for us, to have good and dominant forwards, so it’s going to be the clash of the titans.”

And if it is his swansong, what better way to leave than with a trophy in the Loftus Versfeld trophy cabinet.