Munster’s BJ Botha looking forward to taking on his former Ulster team-mates

It’s almost remarkable to think that BJ Botha has been playing in Ireland for seven seasons now. After three seasons initially with Ulster, he has

seen and played in the Ulster-Munster derby for seven years from both sides of the fence.

Unsurprisingly, one match stands out above them all, the Heineken Cup quarter-final in his first season after leaving Ulster to join Munster in April 2012, when Ulster stormed Thomond Park to beat the home side 22-16.

“I think if you take me back now to the first year here in the quarter-final of the European Cup, that was possibly more raw. You look forward to playing your old team-mates but also some of the old countrymen that you’ve spent a lot of your career with as well so obviously that makes it extra special.”

“I think it picks you up a little bit more as well. It’s a great place to play and it won’t be short on the physicality part that they bring. So it’s a great contest for me anyway being on that side and now being on this side. I know there is always going to be that physicality which I enjoy the most.”

Botha had been one of Ulster’s first signature signings, before his departure to Munster prompted David Humphreys to recruit John Afoa, and his observations about his erstwhile employers are interesting.

“Obviously they’ve increased their support base by ten-fold with the increased capacity. With that the noise levels are through the roof and they obviously got their thing going and it’s great for them. That’s built with their team and obviously they’re ambitious as well.

“They are showing that they want to be a top side in Europe and their supporters are right behind them so everything is there and they want to go forward.”

Short-term deal

As things stand, Botha’s time in Ireland could be coming to a close at the end of the calendar year, having agreed to a short-term deal despite his expressed desire to stay on for at least another full season. That said, he appears quite sanguine about his current situation.

“For me I think before I have expressed that I am happy enough six months or even yearly. At this stage we have agreed on the six months. For me at this stage I’m happy to get through and put in performances game by game.”

“At my time in my career I think you have to be there mentally and the physical part comes after that again. For me, I think I will make the decision again – hopefully if l get the opportunity – at the end of the year and see can I remain on and see if I am wanting to stay on as well from both sides. At this stage I am happy to stay on and hopefully I’ve got more to contribute and to still play at that level. I think I will base myself on that, you know?”

Munster won the last of their three Pro12 titles in 2010-’11, the season before he joined them, so conceivably therefore, the next few weeks could be his seventh and last shot at silverware in Irish rugby.

Pressure

“I think I put myself under more pressure in that sense. You think about your career and how quickly it goes. You don’t want to let anything pass you by so I think I put myself under pressure in every game and even more so now trying to put in those performances and try to put in that extra little bit of work for the rest of this season and progressing into next season and to the end of the year to show you can hold it at this level and maybe even better. At this stage I’m remaining here.”

Botha, along with others, endured a particularly tough day at the office when Munster’s European Champions Cup ambitions were convincingly extinguished away to Saracens in January, and although they have lost only one of their last eight league matches – accumulating three bonus point wins on the bounce – this is unquestionably their toughest assignment since that dark day.

“I think there has been progress over the past couple of games,” he maintains. “We have had a few combinations. We have used a couple of different players and we have a few guys back available now. It is about getting that mix right. This is a huge challenge for us, no doubt. If we produce the kind of performance we know we can, I think we will hopefully give ourselves a chance.”