Bernado Carl Botha (born 4 July 1988) is a South African professional rugby union player who last played for the Boland Cavaliers in the Currie Cup.[1] He has been playing first class rugby since 2009 and was a regular member of the South Africa Sevens team between 2010 and 2013. His regular position is winger or fullback.

Bernado Botha
Full nameBernado Carl Botha
Date of birth (1988-07-04) 4 July 1988 (age 36)
Place of birthOudtshoorn, South Africa
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight100 kg (220 lb; 15 st 10 lb)
SchoolHoërskool Florida, Roodepoort
UniversityUniversity of Johannesburg
Rugby union career
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
2004 SWD Eagles
2006–2009 Golden Lions
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008 UJ 10 (20)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2010 Golden Lions XV 8 (20)
2010 Lions 2 (0)
2013 Griffons 5 (0)
2014–2017 Pumas 39 (42)
2018 Batumi RC ()
2018 Boland Cavaliers 4 (0)
Correct as of 27 October 2018
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007 South Africa Under-19
2010–2013 South Africa Sevens
Correct as of 28 March 2014
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  South Africa
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Cali Team competition
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi Team competition

Career

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Youth and Varsity rugby

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Botha represented South Western Districts at the 2004 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week. He then moved to Gauteng and was included in the Golden Lions squad for the 2006 Under-18 Craven Week tournament. The following year, he received a call-up to the South African Under-19 squad for the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship in Ireland.

He continued to represent the Golden Lions at youth level, playing for their Under-19s in national championships in 2007 and for the Under-21s in 2008 and 2009. He also played for UJ in the 2008 and 2010 Varsity Cup competitions, scoring four tries in eight appearances.

Senior career

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Botha was included in the Golden Lions squad for the 2008 Vodacom Cup competition,[2] but failed to make an appearance, despite being named as a substitute for their match against the Natal Wildebeest.[3]

Once again named in their Vodacom Cup squad in 2009, Botha duly made his first class debut by starting in their match against the Pumas in Randfontein.[4] He made seven starts in total and weighed in with four tries during that tournament.

Following two more appearances in the 2010 Vodacom Cup, Botha was then included in the Lions squad for the 2010 Super 14 season. He made two substitute appearances, against the Force in Johannesburg[5] and against the Cheetahs in Welkom.[6]

Sevens rugby

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In 2010, Botha joined the South African Sevens squad[7] and appeared in the Dubai and South African legs of the 2010–11 IRB Sevens World Series. In October 2011, he signed a two-year deal with the South African Rugby Union to represent the sevens side[8] and became a regular for them in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons of the IRB Sevens World Series.

Griffons

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At the conclusion of the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series, Botha made a return to fifteens rugby and made five appearances for Welkom-based side Griffons during the 2013 Currie Cup First Division.

Pumas

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He then joined the Pumas prior to the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition. He was a member of the Pumas side that won the Vodacom Cup for the first time in 2015, beating Western Province 24–7 in the final.[9] Botha made eight appearances during the season.

Batumi

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He joined Georgian Didi 10 side Batumi for the 2017–18 season.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "SA Rugby Player Profile – Bernado Botha". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Golden Lions : 2008 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Wildebeest 17–10 Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Golden Lions 34–47 Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Auto & General Lions 12–33 Western Force". South African Rugby Union. 1 May 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Cheetahs 59–10 Auto & General Lions". South African Rugby Union. 15 May 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. ^ "New faces to join Blitzbokke". blitzbokke.com. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  8. ^ "BlitzBokke gain three promising players". blitzbokke.com. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Steval Pumas first-time Vodacom Cup champions – Final Review". South African Rugby Union. 31 May 2015. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  10. ^ "საქართველოს ჩემპიონატში მონაწილე გუნდის განაცხადი : "სარაგბო კლუბი ბათუმი"". Georgia Rugby Union (in Georgian). Retrieved 30 January 2018.