Cited Botha a doubt for semi-final showdown

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Scrum.com

May 16, 2010

Bulls lock Bakkies Botha has only just returned to action after a long injury lay-off © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Bakkies Botha | Richie McCaw

Tournaments/Tours: Super 14

Bulls lock Bakkies Botha has been cited for dangerous play during his side's Super 14 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Springboks international, who only returned from a lengthy injury lay-off last month, has been called to a disciplinary hearing after allegedly using his head at a ruck to clean out Stormers wing Gio Aplon.

Botha, who was suspended for two weeks last year for a similar act involving British & Irish Lions prop Adam Jones, will face a a Sanzar judicial committee on Monday in Pretoria and if handed a similar ban he will miss his side's Super 14 semi-final clash with the Crusaders at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday and the following week's final should they win their final four clash.

Crusaders captain Richie McCaw's reaction time was tested well before Friday's Super 14 defeat of the Brumbies. To his horror, McCaw found his passport in a dishevelled state after going through the washing machine. The veteran All Blacks skipper, realising a trip to South Africa for the semifinals was a strong possibility, lodged an emergency passport application on Wednesday in Christchurch. A replacement arrived in time and was needed today as the team flew out for Sydney.

They won't leave Sydney until early Monday as the third-qualifying Waratahs had first rights to business class seats for today's flight to South Africa ahead of their semifinal against the Stormers. The fourth-placed Crusaders have to wait half a day courtesy of their lower finish in the standings.

Cornish Pirates claimed the inaugural British & Irish Cup with a 23-14 victory over Munster in Camborne.

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