Botha: I really believe we are going to win it

Arno Botha vows he won’t let Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final steer his focus from Munster’s Guinness Pro14 game that evening against Cardiff Blues.

“Not at all. That’s only a game on Saturday to watch. I won’t get stressed about it because I can’t do anything about it. I must concentrate on Munster.”

But all South Africans — not to mind those who’ve worn the Sprinkbok green, can be excused their minds drifting in the lead up to this massive clash with England.

“I’m excited for the players and my friends there. I think South Africa have a great chance, they have everything under control and I really do believe we are going to win it. We’ll be in Cardiff at that time, 9am, we will have time to have breakfast and watch and defy our emotions.

“It’s exciting to look forward to the game ... back home in Pretoria, my brother gets everybody together before the game ... all of South Africa is very proud and excited ... from South Africa to Japan is a long journey but a lot of guys are still going to support the team and their friends. It takes you back to ’95 and 2007 and it brings people together.”

Arnoldus Francois Botha, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Monday, has two Springbok caps to his credit but hasn’t given up hope of adding to that number.

“It remains very much on my radar and has been for the last two years. It obviously takes a lot of belief. I came back from a long-term injury in 2017 and as you play and get a bit of game time, you think you might get into the World Cup squad.

“But now I’m working towards something further down the line, like next November or the Four Nations, just to get into the squad anyway.

“But that’s in my own hands. How I play. It’s obviously more difficult to do it from here and they do tend to pick the South African based players and that’s fair enough because they’re the players who stayed in the country. But it will always be a dream to play for my country.”

His prospects have improved: “The rule against picking players from abroad has been relaxed over the last few years. And being here makes it easier because Munster is such a competitive club. You have to be on top of your game every game. You have to be the best so this is a place I can do it from.

“If you look at Cheslin Kolbe, Toulouse are on top of their league. And then you have CJ and Jean Kleyn at the World Cup with Ireland. It’s definitely a dream and will always be a dream of mine to play with the Springboks again. It will be like a debut again if I do it. Again, it’s up to me.”

Botha appreciates that he could hardly be considered for the Springboks by Rassie Erasmus if he wasn’t first choice for Munster. And that’s not going to be easy given the presence of such outstanding players as Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete and Tommy O’Donnell.

“Finding it tough to get into the Munster back-row on the big days is not frustrating but motivating,” Botha insists.

Letting it frustrate me would be the wrong attitude. It’s not their fault that the other players are there so if I’m doing my part, I can’t get frustrated. So I’ll use that as motivation. If those guys play for Ireland or the Cheetahs or whatever, you’re not going to just walk in there. It wouldn’t make sense.

Arno Botha was speaking at the LifeStyle Sports outlet in Dooradoyle, Limerick where it was announced that Life Style Sports, the exclusive retail partner of Munster Rugby, will donate €5 from every Munster jersey sold in Life Style Sports stores and online in the build-up to Christmas to Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, one of Munster Rugby’s official charity partners.