Ruan Botha

{{short description|South African rugby union player|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=April 2013}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Ruan Botha | image = Ruan Botha 2018e.jpg | fullname =  | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|01|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Brakpan]], [[South Africa]] | height = {{height|m=2.05}}<ref name="SARU Player Profile Ruan Botha">{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=51632 | name=Ruan Botha | date=2 June 2016}}</ref> | weight = {{convert|124|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="SARU Player Profile Ruan Botha"/> | nickname = | occupation = | school = [[Jeugland Hoërskool]] | university = | relatives = | position = [[Rugby union positions#Locks|Lock]] | currentclub = [[Kubota Spears]] | youthyears1 = 2010 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Falcons}} | youthyears2 = 2011–2012 | youthclubs2 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}} | years1 = 2012 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Golden Lions XV}} | apps1 = 1 | points1 = 0 | years2 = 2012 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Lions}} | apps2 = 5 | points2 = 0 | years3 = 2013–2015 | clubs3 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps3 = 19 | points3 = 5 | years4 = 2014–2015 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps4 = 21 | points4 = 5 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Sharks XV}} | apps5 = 4 | points5 = 5 | years6 = 2016–2019 | clubs6 = {{Rut|Sharks}} | apps6 = 42 | points6 = 20 | years7 = 2016–2017 | clubs7 = {{Rut|Sharks (Currie Cup)|CC=y}} | apps7 = 21 | points7 = 15 | years8 = 2018–present | clubs8 = [[Kubota Spears]] | apps8 = 70 | points8 = 50 | years9 = 2019–2020 | clubs9 = [[London Irish]] | apps9 = 9 | points9 = 10 | repyears1 = 2012 | repteam1 = [[South Africa national under-20 rugby union team|South Africa U20]] | repcaps1 = 5 | reppoints1 = 0 | repyears2 = 2017 | repteam2 = [[South Africa 'A' national rugby union team|South Africa 'A']] | repcaps2 = 2 | reppoints2 = 0 | clubupdate = 21 February 2021 | repupdate = 6 April 2018 }}

'''Ruan Botha''' (born 10 January 1992) is a South African [[rugby union]] player. He plays as a [[Rugby union positions#5. Lock|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 (rugby)|Griffons]] 71–25 in [[Johannesburg]]. Botha started the match before being replaced in the 62nd minute by [[Hendrik Roodt]].<ref name="MTN Golden Lions 71-25 Griffons">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=103851 | homeid=11391 | awayid=11401 | leagueid=1211 | hometeam=MTN Golden Lions | homescore=71 | awayscore=25 | awayteam=Griffons | matchdate=31 March 2012 | date=2 December 2016}}</ref>

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 (rugby union)|Chiefs]] in [[Pukekohe]] on 5 May 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lions make five changes|url=https://supersport.com/rugby/super-rugby/news/120502/Lions_make_five_changes|access-date=2021-07-29|website=supersport.com|language=en}}</ref>

Botha was named in the [[South Africa national under-20 rugby union team|South Africa Under 20 team]] that won the [[2012 IRB Junior World Championship]].<ref name="Goosen, Kitshoff, Du Toit nucleus of powerful SA U20 JWC squad">{{SA Rugby Article | id=1355211 | leagueid=1171 | title=Goosen, Kitshoff, Du Toit nucleus of powerful SA U20 JWC squad | date=25 April 2012 | access-date=6 June 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=1355211&leagueid=1171 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606095848/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=1355211&leagueid=1171 | url-status=dead | archive-date=6 June 2016}}</ref>

He joined {{Rut|Western Province}} for the 2013 season.<ref name="Lions lose fourth player in a week">{{cite web | url=http://www.supersport.com/rugby/sa-rugby/news/120828/Lions_lose_fourth_player_in_a_week | title=Lions lose fourth player in a week | date=28 August 2012 | publisher=SuperSport | access-date=28 August 2012 }}</ref>

In May 2019, following three years with {{Rut|Sharks}} he signed for English [[Premiership Rugby]] side [[London Irish]] on an initial 6 month contract.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-20|title=London Irish sign Ruan Botha {{!}} 20th May 2019 {{!}} News|url=https://www.london-irish.com/news/london-irish-sign-ruan-botha/bp2177/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224135318/https://www.london-irish.com/news/london-irish-sign-ruan-botha/bp2177/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=24 February 2020|access-date=2020-07-31|website=London Irish|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-31|title=Wallabies centurion Rob Simmons signs for London Irish {{!}} 31st July 2020 {{!}} News|url=https://www.london-irish.com/news/wallabies-centurion-rob-simmons-signs-for-london-irish/bp2636/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813165506/https://www.london-irish.com/news/wallabies-centurion-rob-simmons-signs-for-london-irish/bp2636/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=13 August 2020|access-date=2020-07-31|website=London Irish|language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=51632 | name=Ruan Botha | date=2 June 2016}} *[http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_22669.html itsrugby.co.uk profile] *[http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3442/player=45543/index.html IRB profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Botha, Ruan}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1992 births]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players]] [[Category:Stormers players]] [[Category:Afrikaner people]] [[Category:Rugby union locks]] [[Category:People from Brakpan]] [[Category:South Africa Under-20 international rugby union players]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Gauteng]] [[Category:Sharks (rugby union) players]] [[Category:Kubota Spears players]] [[Category:London Irish players]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in England]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in Japan]] [[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]]