Home comforts for Ospreys' Botha
SPOTLIGHT: Tom Botha, speaking with a slight Welsh twang, said Ospreys will focus on themselves during their two-match tour of South Africa.
Botha, a born and bred Capetonian, was enjoying some ‘home comforts’ this week, as the Ospreys based themselves at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport and trained at his former alma mater, Paul Roos Gymnasium.
“It was nice to see my family after training,” the 31-year-old said of catching up with his Stellenbosch-based relatives.
While his family won’t be making the trip to Johannesburg for Friday’s encounter with the Lions, they are almost certainly going to be at the Cape Town Stadium a week later – when Ospreys tackle the Stormers.
He said it is “special” being able to train on his former stomping ground, Paul Roos.
“There are a lot of special memories for me here,” Botha said, adding: “I am really excited about the games.”
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🇿🇦 Bore da o Stellenbosch☀️ pic.twitter.com/SuCbRQje37
— Ospreys (@ospreys) March 23, 2022
Looking at the Lions, who have come along in leaps and bounds in recent weeks, Botha said they are a ‘typical’ South African team that prides themselves on their set-pieces.
To counter that Ospreys will require a proper eight-man effort.
“You can’t rely just on the front row forwards,” he said of the expected onslaught from the Lions.
“It takes eight people to have a successful set-piece.”
Despite the enormity of the task, Botha said the Ospreys sees it as a “big opportunity” to tackle the Lions in their home base.
“It is always going to be tough playing these [South African] teams here,” he said of the trip to the Republic.
Having played at Ellis Park a few times before, while with the Cheetahs between 2016 and 2018, he said it is “always special” to play at such an iconic stadium.
“I have good memories from that stadium,” he added.
The Lions have won successive URC matches for the first time – having beaten Cardiff and Munster in Johannesburg in the last two weeks.
They have faced Welsh opposition on two previous occasions, losing to Scarlets in Llanelli in October and beating Cardiff at Ellis Park.
Ospreys have won two of their last three URC fixtures – beating Edinburgh and Zebre in Swansea, but losing to Leinster in Dublin.
Ospreys have not won away from home in any competition since their 29-26 victory at Benetton in Round Four.
The Welshmen have lost their last three fixtures against South African opponents, but have won in South Africa on two previous occasions, both in April 2019 – beating Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.
The two teams have never met before, but Botha said there is a lot of “positivity” in the Ospreys camp.
Botha made it clear that Ospreys have ambitions of being the best Welsh team and qualifying for the European Cup.
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* Additional reporting by @URCOfficial
