Boudjellal bullish about Botha ... again
Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:14
Stop it now: Bakkies Botha going nowhere
Mourad Boudjellal, the eccentric president of the ambitious French Second Division (Pro D2) club Toulon, is like a dog with a bone ... he simply won't let go of the Bakkies Botha issue.
Reports in the French media on Friday claimed Toulon took a step closer to "hopefully" finalise a deal to draft Springbok World Cup-winning lock Bakkies Botha to France.
Boudjellal, as he has done repeatedly in the past few months, said that a "contract", signed by the Springboks star, had been sent to the national league.
They, Toulon, are now waiting for the go-ahead from the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
"The contract, signed by the player, has been sent to the league," Boudjellal told the French news agency AFP.
"We are in touch with the player virtually day-by-day. Now we are waiting for a release letter from the South African federation [SARU], but the desire of the player is clear."
This is just the latest in a series of statements by the dogged club boss, despite confirmation that neither SARU, nor the Bulls (Botha's provincial union), will release the Bok lock.
What Boudjellal, conveniently, fails to tell the French media in his regular public outbursts, is that the contract he has in his possession makes it clear that Botha's arrival is subject to clearance from the Bulls and SARU.
The Bulls have made it clear they will not release the lock from his contract, which runs until 2011.
Botha is currently on tour with the Bulls in New Zealand, where they play the Blues in a Super 14 math in Auckland on Saturday.
Boudjellal also fails to inform the media that he is not actually speaking to the player, as he claims, but is negotiating through a French agent, who in turn is on contact with Botha's South African manager, Bernie Habana, on a regular basis.
Bernie Habana is the father of Botha's Bulls and Bok teammate Brian Habana.
Boudjellal, who has been caught out for being economical with the truth on several occasions, has not taken kindly to the Bulls' hardline stance on the Botha issue and feels he must "prove a point" by continuing his public claims that the player will join his club.
The French club boss recently went as far as claiming that he will take legal steps against both the Bulls and SARU if Botha does not arrive in Toulon by April 1.
And the Bulls have made it pretty clear that Botha will be playing for them for the next four years and will not go near Toulon ... unless it is on holiday.
The duration of the deal that Boudjellal claims to have with Botha is for three months, to cover the rest of the season, and the next two years with an option for an extra year.
Botha, 28, had been expected to join the French Second Division side at the end of February, but he never arrived - because the Bulls refused to sign his clearance.
Boudjellal had hoped that Botha would join his World Cup-winning teammate Victor Matfield - who has been one of the stars of the season for the French side, often playing on the flank.
Toulon are on course for promotion to the French Top 14 championship and have a seven-point lead over second-placed Mont-de-Marsan.
