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Munster nab Springbok forward

Munster and the IRFU have confirmed the one-year signing of South Africa back rower Arno Botha.

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The 26-year-old, currently with London Irish, will join the province at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, subject to medical clearance and obtaining a work permit.

Botha, an explosive ball carrier who plays flank and No.8, played his entire professional career with the Blue Bulls before moving to London in January.

A former South Africa Under-20s captain, he featured for the Springboks on two occasions in 2013.

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Commenting on the signing, Munster head coach Johann van Graan said: “In building our squad for next season I believe Arno will be a great addition to our side, adding further depth and strength to our back row options.

“From my time with the Bulls and South Africa I have first-hand experience of what Arno is capable of. A physical ball carrier and lineout jumper, he leads by example with his work-rate, commitment and physicality, and we look forward to welcoming him to the province.”

Botha played for the Bulls 47 times at Super Rugby level between 2012 and 2017. He made his debut for the Springboks in June 2013 and in his second test left the field after just four minutes of play having ruptured ligaments in his left knee.

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Botha will join former Bulls teammate and fellow South Africa U20 representative CJ Stander in the Munster back row.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Broken hand or not, Richie Mo'unga is still New Zealand's best 10

I agree that he chose to go - but when he was starting for the All Blacks and it was clear that Scott Roberston was going to be the coach in 2024

That’s not the case at all. There was huge fear that the continued delaying was going to cause Robertson to go. That threat resulted in the unpresented act of appointing a new coach, after Richie had left I made add that I recall, during a WC cycle.

Mo’unga was finally going to get the chance to prove he was the better 10 all along - then he decides to go to Japan.

Again, No. He did that without Razor (well maybe he played a part from within the Crusaders environment) needing to be the coach.

He’d probably already earned 3-4 million at that stage. The NZRU would’ve given him the best contract they could’ve, probably another million or more a year.

Do some googling and take a look at the timelines. That idea you have is a big fallacy.

I also agree to those who say that Hansen and Foster never really gave Mo’unga a fair go. They both only gave Mo’unga a real shot when it was clear their preferred 10’s weren’t achieving/available; they chucked him in the deep end at RWC 2019, and Foster only gave him a real shot in 2022 when Foster was about to be dropped mid-season.

That’s the right timeline. But I’d suggest it was just unfortunate Mo’unga (2019), they probably would have built into him more appropriately but Dmac got injured and Barrett switched to fullback. Maybe not the best decisions those, Hansen was making clangers all over the show, but yeah, there was also the fact Barrett was on millions so became ‘automatic’, but even before then I thought Richie would have been the better player.


Yep Reihana in 2026, and Love in 2025! I don’t think Richie had anything to prove, this whole number 1 thing is bogus.

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