Life was good in South Africa. Botha was a key man for the Sharks, which had been his dream growing up in Durban. The tighthead prop was a regular with the Springboks too, earning a World Cup medal with them in 2007.
“They have the option of telling people they’re Irish or South African,” says Botha with a laugh. “They all have an Irish twang when they talk.” “I missed a Barbarians game because of my passport. I had played for them in 2009 but in 2011, I was waiting for my visa to come through. I went to the consulate, I did everything I could, but it didn’t happen. That’s how mad it is.”
“I had dislocated my elbow against Biarritz in January,” says Botha. “I had surgery and my son was born around the same time. Unfortunately, two weeks into his life, he was misdiagnosed and got a urinary tract infection that turned into sepsis. “We had everything on our plate. But we decided to ship up and leave for Munster. I look back at that decision not with any regret because there was such an opportunity on the other side. Not many guys come from Ulster to the south, more now but back then it was big news and I felt that.
He looks back with frustration too, given that Munster weren’t able to win a trophy even with a squad that still included huge names like Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara, Donncha O’Callaghan, and Doug Howlett.“Those winning days were hanging over the place, like we needed to get there again,” says Botha.
“I remember the 41-phase drop goal against Northampton and then we go away to Castres the following week…. I’ll never forget it. Botha’s last game for Munster was a miserable defeat to Stade Français in January 2016 when he ruptured his ACL. With his contract expiring that summer, he thought his playing days were over.
His kids enjoyed the two years in South Africa around their relatives but when the roles as head coach in UL Bohs and Glenstal came up, Ireland was calling again.