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Cape Town - Bakkies Botha has denied that his French club, Toulon, is refusing to release him to play for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship.
A media report on Tuesday indicated that Toulon coach Bernard Laporte won't allow the lock forward to play for South Africa against New Zealand to cover for the suspended Eben Etzebeth.
"Bakkies will wear the Toulon jersey on Friday (against Montpellier) and not the South African one on Saturday," Laporte was quoted as saying on the website of sports daily L'Equipe.
However, Botha denied this report via his twitter account on Tuesday evening.
"Reports suggesting that my Club and/ or Coach prevents me to play for the Springboks are untrue. Good night tweeters," Botha tweeted.
Capped 76 times, Botha last played for South Africa at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The Springboks take on the All Blacks at the indoor Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday. Kick-off is at 09:35 (SA time).
A media report on Tuesday indicated that Toulon coach Bernard Laporte won't allow the lock forward to play for South Africa against New Zealand to cover for the suspended Eben Etzebeth.
"Bakkies will wear the Toulon jersey on Friday (against Montpellier) and not the South African one on Saturday," Laporte was quoted as saying on the website of sports daily L'Equipe.
However, Botha denied this report via his twitter account on Tuesday evening.
"Reports suggesting that my Club and/ or Coach prevents me to play for the Springboks are untrue. Good night tweeters," Botha tweeted.
Capped 76 times, Botha last played for South Africa at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The Springboks take on the All Blacks at the indoor Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday. Kick-off is at 09:35 (SA time).
