The fire that drove world champion locks Bakkies Botha and Ali Williams to great heights has faded, but the battle-hardened veterans are determined to bring the heat when they line up against the Springboks for the World XV at Newlands on Saturday (kick-off at 5pm).
“We just want to go onto the pitch and ask a lot of questions on attack and defence, because that’s the only way to get the Springboks prepared for the World Cup,” said Botha, who made 85 appearances for South Africa between 2002 and 2014.
“We want to go out there and play to the best of our abilities and hopefully through that we can ask questions and the Boks can fine-tune their game for the World Cup.”
“For me, rugby is enjoyment,” said 77-Test All Blacks lock Ali Williams. “I’ve lived the dream, playing professional rugby for 15 years, I’m enjoying having fun and getting to know the guys.
“But you know what you sign up for when you come here – don’t get me wrong, we’re not here to have a party, we’re here to play as well. We’ll be serious.
“Every time you step onto the rugby field you do it to beat the other guy. We know what the importance of this game is for the Springboks, and their fellow countrymen in our team want to give them a great build up to the World Cup.”
Botha is one of six South Africans in the exhibition side, including Gurthrö Steenkamp, Craig Burden, Petrus du Plessis, Flip van der Merwe and JJ Engelbrecht.
The 35-year-old enforcer lock is renowned for his relentless physicality at the point of contact, but both he and Williams, 34, retired from professional rugby at the conclusion of the European season citing a waning appetite for the rough stuff.
“As a player I just want to go onto the pitch and earn my respect from the guy next to me,” said the former Bok hard man. “I’ve got nothing left to prove, I achieved everything I wanted to in my career, and I was so blessed to achieve something that no other payer in the history of the game achieved.”
Botha’s list of achievements is indeed unprecedented. He has won championship medals in the Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup (3), Super Rugby (3), Tri-Nations (2), Top 14, European Cup (3) and World Cup, and was part of a victorious series against the British & Irish Lions in 2009. Williams was a member of the All Blacks team that won the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
“For me, the aggression started to fade away with age. It was a lot of effort to keep up with the game and that was definitely one of the reasons I made the call to retire from rugby, even though a lot of people think I’ve still got a World Cup in me.”
Botha ruled out any possibility of answering a last-minute SOS from Bok coach Heyneke Meyer between now and the World Cup.
“I have peace of mind to walk away from the game,” he said. “I’m happy with that. There was talk about me keeping a back door open (for a return), but I’m happy finishing on my own terms; not many players can do that.”
Williams can empathise with Botha.
“The thing is, if you lose (at the World Cup), you don’t have another four years (to play). You’ve got the rest of your life saying that you’ve lost a World Cup, so it’s best to pull out once you’ve won one,” said Williams.
“Rugby is physical but it’s also mental. If, mentally, you’re not there, and you don’t want to go to that dark hole, that place that’s not very friendly, then there’s no point being out there.
“Victor (Matfield) still wants to do it, and that’s great. For Bakkies and myself; it doesn’t appeal to us anymore.”
Matfield, 37, was expected to be named to captain the Boks when the team was unveiled today. Botha acknowledged that the likely partnership of his long-time Bulls and Bok teammate with Eben Etzebeth would pose a formidable challenge.
“Eben is a world-class player... and Victor always adds value, it doesn’t matter if he’s 27 or 37 years old.
“He’s a phenomenal player and athlete. It’s amazing that, at the age of 37, he’s still the guy running in front when they do fitness training.”
Williams made good on his reputation for banter: “Victor is still one of the best locks in the world and we all know what a champion he is. But he’s got to look after himself a little bit more - he’s getting really, really old,” he joked. “He’s older than me and Bakkies put together, isn’t he?”