Ruan Botha

Ruan Botha
Date of birth (1992-01-10) 10 January 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthBrakpan, South Africa
Height2.05 m (6 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight124 kg (19 st 7 lb; 273 lb)[1]
SchoolJeugland Hoërskool
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team London Irish / Kubota Spears
Youth career
2010 Falcons
2011–2012 Golden Lions
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 Golden Lions XV 1 (0)
2012 Lions 5 (0)
2013–2015 Western Province 19 (5)
2014–2015 Stormers 21 (5)
2016 Sharks XV 4 (5)
2016–2019 Sharks 42 (20)
2016–2017 Sharks (Currie Cup) 21 (15)
2018–present Kubota Spears 16 (0)
2019–2020 London Irish 9 (10)
Correct as of 21 February 2021
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 South Africa U20 5 (0)
2017 South Africa 'A' 2 (0)
Correct as of 6 April 2018

Ruan Botha (born 10 January 1992) is a South African rugby union player. He plays as a lock for Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League. He made his provincial debut on 31 March 2012 as the Golden Lions thrashed the Griffons 71–25 in Johannesburg. Botha started the match before being replaced in the 62nd minute by Hendrik Roodt.[2]

His first call-up to the Lions Super Rugby team came ahead of the side's Australian tour during the 2012 Super Rugby season. He made the starting fifteen for the first time in the match against the Chiefs in Pukekohe on 5 May 2012.[3]

Botha was named in the South Africa Under 20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship.[4]

He joined Western Province for the 2013 season.[5]

In May 2019, following three years with Sharks he signed for English Premiership Rugby side London Irish on an initial 6 month contract.[6] He was due to return to Irish following the 2019–20 Top League season in Japan which he would spend with Kubota Spears. However, in July 2020 London Irish confirmed he would not be returning.[7]

  1. ^ a b "SA Rugby Player Profile – Ruan Botha". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 71–25 Griffons". South African Rugby Union. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Lions make five changes". supersport.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Goosen, Kitshoff, Du Toit nucleus of powerful SA U20 JWC squad". South African Rugby Union. 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Lions lose fourth player in a week". SuperSport. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  6. ^ "London Irish sign Ruan Botha | 20th May 2019 | News". London Irish. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Wallabies centurion Rob Simmons signs for London Irish | 31st July 2020 | News". London Irish. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.