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Levani Botia turns down Leicester Tigers
By Ian Cameron
Blockbusting Fijian hybrid player Levani Botia has turned down advances from Leicester Tigers and will stay on at Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle - it was confirmed this week.
The Fijian skipper had been heavily linked with a move to Steve Borthwick's Premiership league leaders but has instead been convinced to stay put at Les Corsaires.
It was confirmed this week that Botia has signed on for another two seasons at the club which he joined in 2014.
Botia is a rare breed of player who can play both in the back row and in the centres, where his explosive ball carrying appears to be equally effective.
The 32-year-old has more recently been deployed by O'Gara as a back row. O'Gara told Le Equipe this week: "It's just added value for our back row which, since the start of the season, has taken a small hit in with the career stoppage of Kévin Gourdon and the lack of availability of Wiaan Liebenberg and Victor Vito."
Botia (6ft, 103kg) is nicknamed 'The Demolition' man and has been a mainstay of the French side throughout their climb through the French ranks. He has played 141 matches in Yellow and Black, becoming a cult hero at Marcel Deflandre.
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Latest Comments
A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!
The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.
Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)
I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.
This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).
This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.
Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!
Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍
Go to commentsWouldn’t mind seeing that grounding in slow mo there. Too much to ask?
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