- Title: CROATIA: RUGBY LEGEND BOTICA TURNS OUT FOR CROATIA
- Date: 17th May 1997
- Summary: MARKARSKA, CROATIA. (MAY 17, 1997) 1. FRANO BOTICA (WEARING CAP) WALKING TO THE BEACH FOR TEAM HOTO SESSION. 2. BOTICA AND OTHER TEAM MEMBERS GETTING READY FOR PHOTO. 3. CROATIAN TEAM POSING FOR PHOTO. 4. BOTICA TAKING ABOUT PLAYING FOR CROATIA "MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN KORCULA. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN HERE. I WAS CALLED BY ANTHONY SUMIC. HE ASKED ME IF I'D LIKE TO PLAY FOR CROATIA. I'VE PLAYED FOR NEW ZEALAND BEFORE. I'M AT THE END OF MY CAREER; SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO BE ASKED AND TO BE ABLE TO COME AND PLAY FOR CROATIA." (ENGLISH) 5. BOTICA TALKING ABOUT THE HONOUR OF PLAYING FOR CROATIA "IT'S STILL INTERNATIONAL RUGBY AND IT'S AN HONOUR AND A BIG CHALLENGE AND IF I CAN HELP DEVELOP THE RUGBY IN CROATIA AND SOME OF THE YOUNGER PLAYERS AND IF WE CAN DO WELL IN THE WORLD CUP PRELIMINARIES, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT" (ENGLISH) . 6. CROATIAN TEAM COACH ANTHONY SUMIC EXPLAINING HOW BOTICA WAS PERSUADED TO PLAY "NOW THAT I'M LIVING HERE IN MARKARSKA, THESE GAMES ARE VERY SERIOUS AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE (DO) A LOT FOR SPORT IN CROATIA. AND I DECIDED. IF I ASK, I'M JUST ASKING. I'M ASKING A FRIEND WHO I'D HAVE A BEER WITH - A GUY WHO I KNOW; SO I TELEPHONED HIM. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM FOR FIVE YEARS. HE SAID "WHO?" "SUMIC - ANTHONY" "OH YEA. WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I SAID, "I'M COACHING CROATIA" AND HE SAID "WHO?" "CROATIA - YOU KNOW - WHERE YOUR ROOTS ARE FROM" "OH, YEA OKAY. WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I SAID "WELL, WE'RE PLAYING SOME RUGBY MATCHES FOR WORLD CUP (QUALIFICATION). DO YOU WANT TO PLAY? YOU'RE TOO OLD TO PLAY FOR (THE) ALL BLACKS" HE SAID " WELL WHAT DO YOU OFFER ME" I SAID "WELL, WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS AND YOU CAN LIE ON THE BEACH FOR A FEW DAYS AND MAYBE COME AND PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF RUGBY." AND HE SAID "O YEA, IT SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY I WILL COME ALONG AND DO IT." SO BASICALLY THAT IS HOW THE TALE CAME ABOUT THAT HE CAME HERE. AND THEN HIS FATHER HEARD ABOUT IT. HIS FATHER WANTED TO COME, BECAUSE HE HASN'T BEEN HERE FOR 15 YEARS. AND FRANO WAS HERE ALSO 15 YEARS AGO. IT'S A WAY TO GET BACK TO HIS FAMILY ROOTS WHILE ALSO HELPING US OUT." (ENGLISH) 7. BOTICA RUNNING ONTO PITCH FOR MATCH AGAIN LATVIA. 8. BOTICA TALKING TO TEAMMATE. 9. FAN WAVING FLAG. 10. BOTICA SCORES POINTS WITH KICK. 11. BOTICA PLAYING SUPPORTING ROLE AS CROATIAN TRY IS SCORED. 12. BOTICA KICKING SUCCESSFULLY FROM DISTANCE. 13. END OF MATCH. 14. PLAYERS LEAVING PITCH. 15. BOTICA LEADING CROATIAN PLAYERS IN THE TRADITIONAL NEW ZEALAND HAKA BEFORE BEING LIFTED ONTO HIS TEAMMATES' SHOULDERS AND LEAVING PITCH. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 31st May 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Access Restrictions:This media cannot be downloaded as there may be copyright restrictions. Please contact us for more information
- Location: MARKARSKA, CROATIA
- City:
- Country: Croatia
- Reuters ID: LVA8DNFPLDJJ7A9C5W31NIRVEA6
- Story Text:
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
