How Bakkies will prolong his career
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:04
Lengthy lay-off: Bulls and Bok enforcer Bakkies Botha
Bulls lock Bakkies Botha is patiently waiting to get back on the playing field, saying he will not rush back and risk an injury that could end his career.
The the burly Springbok stalwart is undergoing extensive treatment on an Achilles tendon injury sustained on the Boks' year-end tour, and has not featured in the early stages of this year's Super 14.
Botha's recovery has been slower than previously expected, and he was recently ruled out of the Bulls' upcoming Australasian tour, starting on March 27.
The conservative approach to the 30-year-old's return to action is in the best interest of the player, because - as he stated - another tear could be the end of his playing career.
"It's frustrating for me," Botha told rugby365.com, when asked about his time on the sidelines.
"I'm the kind of guy that just wants to go and start playing.
"With this injury you must be very patient, because it's a tendon and not a muscle.
"We are moving now into the most important phase of my rehab, because if you rush it, I can rip it off and that will be the end of my career, so it's a difficult phase.
"[Otherwise] I'm feeling good and my body can take a few more bumps and bruises so I'm happy."
Even with the absence of Botha from the pack, the Bulls have made a fantastic start to the Super 14 with a full-house of 15 points from their first three games and sitting pretty at the top of the table.
After their bye week, the defending champions return to the playing field this week, where they will host the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Promising lock Flip van der Merwe has filled the void left by Botha, partnering Victor Matfield in the second row, and all the early signs indicate a bright future ahead for the young lock.
"At this stage of the competition it is going really well for the team and we want to grab as many five point games as we can," Botha told rugby365.com.
"It's a long tournament and that is why Frans [Ludeke] is so good with his rotation system.
"That's what makes us as a Bulls family so good because we have such depth and every guy buys into the system."
No doubt the Bulls opponents will be only too happy to see teamsheets without Botha's name on them, but once he returns he will play his heart out in the same fashion fans have grown accustomed to.
"I'm focusing on getting the strength back in my leg and my foot," he said.
"They [the team doctors] will re-assess me every week and when I get the green light, and I'm feeling 100 percent - my body will be ready to take a few hits and inflict pain again."
By Timmy Hancox
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