The Labour Court in Johannesburg will consider on Wednesday a motion in which Springbok lock forward Bakkies Botha asks for his contract with the Blue Bulls Company to be declared null and void.
Morris Gilbert reports for Beeld that Botha wants to continue his career by playing for the French club Toulon but both the Blue Bulls and SA Rugby have refused to release him from his contracts.
Botha extended his Blue Bulls contract by five years last year and has also signed a new Springbok contract.
Jonathan Stones, chief executive of SA Rugby, was not available on Thursday to say whether Botha’s Springbok contract was part of the application.
Barend van Graan, CEO of the Blue Bulls Company, said Botha’s application would be opposed.
Van Graan said Botha would ask the labour court to declare his Blue Bulls contract invalid. This would force the company to release him so that he could continue his career at Toulon without prejudice of rights.
According to news releases from Toulon, Botha should have reported to the club on April 1 already.
Warnings have been issued that Botha may be sued for breach of contract if he does not report at the club.
No negative influence
Toulon’s deadline has come and gone and the Bulls continued to select Botha for their Super 14 run-on team.
Botha has not tried to explain, after all the speculation about his future, how he managed to commit to Toulon while he had valid contracts with the Blue Bulls and SA Rugby.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has said repeatedly that Botha’s much-discussed plans do not have a negative influence on his game.
The Labour Court’s findings may have far-reaching consequences for rugby in South Africa, especially if Botha is released from his contractual commitments.
Botha is represented by Bernie Habana, who also negotiated the Blue Bulls contracts of Bryan Habana and Wynand Olivier.
According to information, their contracts and that of Botha correspond almost to the letter. Their contracts also run until the end of 2011.
Bryan Habana is a rugby icon far beyond South Africa’s borders and European and British clubs will fall over each other to acquire his services if there were the slightest possibility.
That Botha has turned to the labour court will surely result in his involvement in the Bulls’ last three Super 14 matches being reconsidered.
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This is just ridiculous now
I think Bakkies read the article of Vic on Keo and decided he needs to get to France FAST!
This doesn’t become you Bakkies. This doesn’t become you at all. You leapt at the Bulls offer when they made it- dont be a fair-weather friend now. A contract is an undertaking that a man gives- let your word be your bond.
🙂 6mil will make you want to go. 🙂
And you mos know Bakkies is a kerk broer, apparently Vic is god in Toulon and he really wants to be closer to god.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has said repeatedly that Botha’s much-discussed plans do not have a negative influence on his game.
YEAH…sure…. 😉
I suppose he thought he was a Blue (bulls) eyed boy and would have no problem getting out of his contract… 🙄
Well thats different then! I always make allowance for a man on a mission from Glod!
Hey Fish! Good to see you again! 😉
Hey Ice! Would you like to see more of me? I hear you are having trouble finding company at night. That struck me as rather an atypical situation for you.
Easy Fish! 🙂
Do you know sumthing I dont…. 😈
Good morning everyone!
Oh look- its the Brad Barrit groupie! Rob, the unmitigated glee with which you posted that article was all too apparent. Lets see if the Sharks fall apart without Brad tomorrow. In my opinion, that article and is based on so much unfounded conjecture and assumption. I like Brad, but fail to see all there superhuman attributes you guys ascribe to him at the moment.
Morning Ness – Happy Birthday to you!!! Hope you have a great year and a fan-fabulous day!!! 😆 😀
Good morning Nessa! I’m about to go off and face my bank, Telkom and Eskom today- everybody has to be nice to me. Ice- I reckon there could be a few things that I am aware of and you aren’t. 😉
Apparently so, Fish….apparently so… 😯
Happy Birthday, Ness
Happy Birthday Nessa!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you enjoy the day.
Thank you everyone. I go on leave today and my boss is overseas – so I am going off for lunch and then home. Nice way to spend your birthday.
Happy Birthday Nessa! May you have an amazing day and a stupendous year- and may each successive birthday surpass the previous one. Here is hoping that we will be celebrating 2100 together!
Ksa, found out that I can keep my uk visa in my old passport as long as I travel with both. If I transfer it, it’s going to cost £160!
Hi BF – thank you. A nice easy day for me (for a change).
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2008/04/25/its-her-birthday/
I don’t get it. Does the 5 year contract with the Bulls have a get out clause? Can’t that dude from Toulon pay a transfer fee to keep Bulls happy?
rachel
It seems not. It seems when they (Habana, Bakkies and Olivier) used the Sharks as bait to get a long term contract from the Bulls last year they screwed themselves.
Slim vang sy baas? or My Agent is a Dunce.
Hahaha hahaha Oops sorry Bulls supporters (not)
When I spoke to some Bulls supporters regarding Bakkies wants to leave they told me it is Bullsh**t. This same Bull supporter came to me on Tuesday and told me the Sharks were [email protected] second halve and don’t blame the ref..blah blah blah. He don’t want to answer his phone this morning. ..Would love to hear his opinion regarding Boots and All last night and about this Bakkies news. 😈 😈
Thanks KSA. Seems there’s egg bound for a face. Something else that seem stupid in my books is players using a parent as an agent. 🙄
Rachel
Yip
I MAY understand (not agree) it if some players father wants his moment in the sun and becomes his son’s agent but to take some guy who is your mate and make his father your agent is just plain Bulls………..Ag i mean stupid.
Reds.
😆 Send him an email 😆
but Bernie isn’t even an official agent
A few comments, if I may.
First and foremost, Bakkies did not sign a contract with Toulon – he signed a Letter of Intent. There is a huge difference.
This is starting to grate me a bit and does the people of Pretoria no favours in my eyes.
Whjy is it that when the Bulls are playing well their players and supporters are unbearable but then as soon as their form starts to wane everybody and their dog wants to jump ship and no attends the games.
Bakkies is an idiot. How you employ Bernie Habana, an unlicenced agent it must be added, to negotiate a five-friggin-year contract is beyond me.
You made your bed Bakkies…