Sharks to honour Jacques Botes
Botes will run onto his home field to take on the Xerox Lions in his final home game before retirement.
Over the last few years, words such as "Mr Reliable", mentor and stalwart have been used to describe this legend of Sharks rugby who for the past ten years has been an integral part of the team both on and off the field.
The stability that Jacques has brought to the team and the immense contribution he has made in the numerous campaigns he has been involved in has been invaluable.
There is no greater testimonial to describe one's character than that given by your teammates, opposition and the public at large. This deeply religious family man is deserving of each and every accolade, praise and acknowledgement given to him in his distinguished provincial career.
Commenting on the decision to honour Jacques in his final home game, The Sharks CEO, John Smit said: “I am delighted that we are able to honour Jacques Botes and to celebrate his career and what he has meant to everyone around him. I have had the privilege of sharing a change room with this incredible servant of people who is extremely humble and continually puts everyone ahead of himself."
"We encourage our fans to come out in their numbers to Growthpoint Kings Park on Friday night to celebrate and acknowledge the massive contribution he has made to Sharks rugby. I can confirm that at the conclusion of the Absa Currie Cup tournament, Jacques Botes will take on an administrative role at The Sharks, where he will continue to provide mentorship for the younger players in our squad," Smit added.
Additional notes about Jacques Botes:
He has been at The Sharks for ten years.
He is the most capped player in Sharks and Absa Currie Cup history.
He played 28 games for the Pumas before arriving in Durban.
He will be running with #JB270 for this week to celebrate the number of professional games he has played in his career. This number includes the game against the Lions on Friday night.
Let me add here that my dealings with Jacques over the years have been very positive.
He was always friendly and enthusiastic whenever I contacted him for an interview.
(File Photo:Andre Bloem)
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre