Naas Botha: We earned R5 per game

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Former Springbok flyhalf Naas Botha has revealed how they were paid only R5 per game during his playing days.

The legendary flyhalf played 179 matches for the then Northern Transvaal (Blue Bulls) as well as 119 for Italian club Rovigo.

He played during South Africa’s sporting isolation and as such only played a meagre 28 Tests for the Springboks between 1980 and 1992.

Botha also had a stint playing American Football for the Dallas Cowboys as he played during rugby’s amateur era when players did not earn salaries.

According to Netwerk24, Botha was speaking at a church seminar at Pretoria’s Atterbury Theatre on Wednesday.

He was asked about his playing days and made a few interesting comments.

“The time when I played is a world apart from today’s game. In my time we only received R5 for an official match for Northern Transvaal.”

Then one day they heard it was being increasing to R10.

“I was quite young but noted that if they could pay me R5 or R10, they could just as well pay R100 000. Just after that the president (of Northern Transvaal) decided we’d only receive R5 again.”

Botha said he could never understand why the game was amateur.

“Remember, we were paid R5. We didn’t owe anybody anything. Other people made money out of their talents. Why is a businessman allowed to get paid for his job? I had a sporting talent. Why was I not allowed to earn money from my talent? I said I was loyal to whichever team’s jersey I pulled on.”

Botha, 57, is nowadays a rugby pundit for pay-channel SuperSport.

Sport24 - http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Naas-We-earned-R5-per-game-20150508
 
My dad played for Griquas and they didn't get paid shyte.

Had to buy their own gear and clothes. Transport to and from games were provided as well as accommodation and food. That was it.
**** me, R 5 in the 70/80s was a LOT of money :p
 
In the middle 80s a chocolate bar cost about 50c.

You could just buy 10 chocolate bars with those match fees.
 
Well, in those days it was for the love of the game and being recognized as a great player for your country, not how much money you could get out of it I guess.
 
Picard said:
In the middle 80s a chocolate bar cost about 50c.

You could just buy 10 chocolate bars with those match fees.
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For R 2.00 you could buy a checkers bag full of toffees. It will be so much of those Wilson toffees you will have lock jaw for a week if you finished those toffees.
 
"I said I was loyal to whichever team’s jersey I pulled on.”
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If you're good at something, never do it for free. You got suckered by a misguided sense of loyalty Naas.
 
Beerisgood said:
If you're good at something, never do it for free. You got suckered by a misguided sense of loyalty Naas.
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Bollie. Springboks were almost seen as heroes in those days, and the rugby world was richer for having Naas. He definitely did the right thing.
 
I wonder how he did in his American Football stint, anyone know?
 
Ockie said:
Well, in those days it was for the love of the game and being recognized as a great player for your country, not how much money you could get out of it I guess.
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The problem as he stated was that other people made lots of money from his talents, be it sponsors or business people selling his name around.
 
Nether said:
The problem as he stated was that other people made lots of money from his talents, be it sponsors or business people selling his name around.
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Correct. Media, sponsors, etc... They got rich. Yet this delusion of training and playing for nothing is still getting thrown around as being a positive thing. Will you go to the office for R5 a week?

I agree that superstars in any form of entertainment gets overpaid today but they shouldn't get ripped off as well.
 
Of course R5 then is R5 now :rolleyes:


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rpm said:
Former Springbok flyhalf Naas Botha has revealed how they were paid only R5 per game during his playing days.

The legendary flyhalf played 179 matches for the then Northern Transvaal (Blue Bulls) as well as 119 for Italian club Rovigo.

He played during South Africa’s sporting isolation and as such only played a meagre 28 Tests for the Springboks between 1980 and 1992.

Botha also had a stint playing American Football for the Dallas Cowboys as he played during rugby’s amateur era when players did not earn salaries.

According to Netwerk24, Botha was speaking at a church seminar at Pretoria’s Atterbury Theatre on Wednesday.

He was asked about his playing days and made a few interesting comments.

“The time when I played is a world apart from today’s game. In my time we only received R5 for an official match for Northern Transvaal.”

Then one day they heard it was being increasing to R10.

“I was quite young but noted that if they could pay me R5 or R10, they could just as well pay R100 000. Just after that the president (of Northern Transvaal) decided we’d only receive R5 again.”

Botha said he could never understand why the game was amateur.

“Remember, we were paid R5. We didn’t owe anybody anything. Other people made money out of their talents. Why is a businessman allowed to get paid for his job? I had a sporting talent. Why was I not allowed to earn money from my talent? I said I was loyal to whichever team’s jersey I pulled on.”

Botha, 57, is nowadays a rugby pundit for pay-channel SuperSport.

Sport24 - http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Naas-We-earned-R5-per-game-20150508
Click to expand...
 
Electric said:
He was afraid of being tackled, you do the math.
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As are 100% of other American football players, judging by their Swiss army Knight kit.

And a little correction, he wasn't afraid of being tackled, but rather afraid of executing tackles himself. In that game it's no problem, as you have offence players and defence players. So he was quite perfect for it really.
 
Necuno said:
Of course R5 then is R5 now :rolleyes:
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Yes in 1980 you could afford a weeks worth of food, your house, water, electricity, car, fuel costs, medical aid, insurance and have enough to throw into your pension with R5.
 
But, ah, on de adda hênd, now he gets paid bajillions to talk crap on TV so it's all good.
 
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