SWANSEA – Former Cheetahs prop Tom Botha has confirmed he would love to play Test rugby for Wales after recently joining the Ospreys.
The 27-year-old, who has also previously played for the Kings, recently moved to the Liberty Stadium as a replacement for Dmitri Arhip, who has joined the Cardiff Blues.
Botha was born in Bellville, Western Cape, Cape Town, and schooled at Paul Roos Gymnasium.
Botha will be looking to make an immediate impression for his new side in the upcoming PRO14 season and has already made his intentions clear.
“Yes. I want to play international rugby. That is a dream for every kid growing up," he told WalesOnline. "You want to compete at the highest level there is.”
Although this is a clear desire for Botha, the revised World Rugby regulations stipulate that he would need to first serve a five-year residence period in order to be eligible for selection for an adopted country.
With that in mind, Botha knows that his first goal will need to revolve around coming to grips with the rigours of forward play in the northern hemisphere.
“I wanted to learn the dark arts of Welsh scrummaging," he commented when explaining the reasoning behind his move away from the Cheetahs.
“I wanted to improve as a player and take the next step and just learn from the guys over here. You can never stop learning. If you do stop learning then you are getting comfortable. You must try to get better.
“The Ospreys are a very successful team. If you look at their history, they’re a giant side in PRO14 rugby.”