Bakkies, Bulls lock horns

Never one to shy away from confrontation, Springbok and Bulls lock Bakkies Botha is locking horns with his most imposing opponent ever: the Blue Bulls Company.

Their legal showdown starts on Wednesday after the Blue Bulls Company said it would oppose Botha's decision to lodge an application at the labour court for his five-year contract with the company to be declared null and void.

Botha desperately wants his contract with the BBC terminated so that he can start his duties for French second division club Toulon, which already have Botha's former team-mate and Bulls captain Victor Matfield on their books.

At the end of last year, Botha, at his request, signed a five-year contract with the Blue Bulls Company and renewed his Springbok contract for a further two years.

Earlier this year Botha asked that the company release him from his contract. His request was denied after it was revealed that Botha had allegedly already committed himself to Toulon.

Meanwhile, Matfield said he wanted to continue playing for the Springboks and, if he were to come back to South Africa, he would return to Loftus.