Brendon James Botha, better known as BJ Botha (born 4 January 1980) is a South African former rugby union player. He played as a prop. He is now a housemaster and rugby coach at Glenstal Abbey School.[1]
Professional career
Sharks
Botha played in the Currie Cup and Super 14 the Sharks. He played in all 13 Super 14 matches in 2006 and was one cap shy of a half-century in the domestic Currie Cup.
Ulster
He signed for Ulster on Thursday 14 August 2008 on a three-year deal, and left the province in May 2011.
Munster
Botha signed for the Irish province Munster on a two-year contract in February 2011, starting in the 2011–12 season.[2]
He made his Munster debut against Scarlets on 17 September 2011.[3] His first Heineken Cup game for Munster was against Northampton Saints in November 2011. He scored his first try for Munster in January 2012, in the Heineken Cup round 6 game against Northampton.[4]
Botha scored a match-winning try for Munster in their final Pro12 game against Zebre on 3 May 2013.[5] He signed a two-year contract extension with Munster in May 2013.[6] Botha signed a six-month contract extension with Munster in March 2015, meaning he will stay with the province until at least December 2015.[7] He won his 100th cap for Munster in the 2015 Pro12 Grand Final on 30 May 2015.[8] In November 2015, it was announced that Botha's contract with Munster had been extended to June 2016.[9] Botha started Munster's opening pool game of the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup against Treviso on 14 November 2015, scoring a try in his team's 32–7 win.[10] On 9 January 2016, Botha ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during Munster's match against Stade Français. The injury ruled him out for the foreseeable future.[11] In May 2016, it was announced that Botha would leave Munster at the end of the 2015–16 season.[12]
Move to France
After leaving Munster, Botha joined French Top 14 club Lyon as a medical joker ahead of the 2016–17 season,[13] before joining Biarritz, who played in the Rugby Pro D2, France's second tier league, ahead of the 2017–18 season.[14] Botha retired from rugby at the end of the 2017–18 season.[15]
South Africa
Botha has played 25 times for the Springboks and has one try to his name. He was a member of the South Africa squad that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup.