Legendary Springbok enforcer Bakkies Botha has made a full recovery from a horror accident, has a thriving business, and even has a new bull named Yellowstone, writes MARK KEOHANE.
The heavy-handed Bok lock earned 85 Test caps in perhaps the most decorated player in the history of professional rugby. Botha did it all in a 16-year career that began at the Falcons in 1999 and ended at French giants Toulon in 2015.
He won a Rugby World Cup (2007), the 2009 series against the British & Irish Lions, the Rugby Championship (2004, 2009), Super Rugby (2007, 2009, 2010), the Currie Cup (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009), Vodacom Cup (2001) and, after joining Toulon in 2011, won Europe’s Champions Cup three times (2013, 2014, 2015) and the Top 14 title in 2014.
Botha’s toughness was put to the test again when he survived a big car crash in November 2022. He was taking his Toyota Land Cruiser for a service when he lost control of the vehicle in the rain on the R21 in Pretoria. The bakkie reportedly rolled three times, with the 43-year-old needing 14 stitches to reattach his left ear.
Botha built his reputation as the definitive hard man while on duty for the Boks and Bulls before heading to France in 2011. He has made a full recovery from the accident and, since retiring from rugby, has focused on his business, B4 Beefmasters.
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He founded Bakkies Boerewors while playing in France and launched Bakkies the Butcher on his return to SA, a wholesale meat supplier to butchers, top restaurants and hotels.
And in 2020, B4 Beefmasters started trading, a livestock farming business producing indigenous, locally bred beef cattle.
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