No Regrets! Bakkies Botha says he would headbutt Jimmy Cowan again

Former Springbok hardman Bakkies Botha says he has no regrets about head-butting All Blacks scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan 10 years ago.

Botha headbutted Cowan during the Tri-Nations match at Eden Park in Auckland and although the match officials missed the incident he was cited after the game and suspended for nine weeks.

Speaking to French newspaper Midi Olympique a decade after the incident if he had any regrets, Botha said: ‘No, not a single second. And if I were to relive this situation, I would do the exact same thing!

‘That day in Auckland I was battling with Cowan following a kick. I was faster than him.

‘I had passed him and he pulled me by the shirt to slow me down. When I caught up with him 10m away, I made him understand that I hadn’t liked it … I hate injustice.

‘It’s not something I’m proud of. I kind of dropped the Springboks that day. And Jimmy Cowan won the mini-battle.

‘But I would react in exactly the same way today … it’s still the fault of the No 9. They talk too much and know better than anyone how to get you out of the game.’