Frano Botica
| Full name | Frano Michael Botica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 3 August 1963 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mangakino, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (11 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Westlake Boys High | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Ben Botica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position(s) | Fullback, Wing, Five-eighth | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1990-95 1995 1996 |
Wigan Auckland Castleford |
179 5 21 |
1931 46 190 |
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Correct as of 12 May 2013
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| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1991–93 | New Zealand | 7 | 50 |
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Correct as of 12 May 2013
|
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| Position(s) | Five-eighth | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| Provincial / State sides | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1998 | Chiefs | 1 | () |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1986-1989 1997-1998 |
New Zealand Croatia |
7 2 |
6 |
Frano Michael Botica (born 3 August 1963) is a New Zealand former rugby union and rugby league player, and current coach. Nicknamed 'The Boot', he represented New Zealand at both codes, and later also played for Croatia in two rugby union World Cup qualifying matches.
Born in Mangakino, New Zealand, Botica played domestic club rugby union for North Harbour, as well as Llanelli in Wales, and spent a period in France.
Botica appeared for the New Zealand Māori (1985-1989), New Zealand Emerging Players (1985), North Island in the 1986 inter-island match and for the Anzac XV that played the British Lions in Australia in 1989. He even appeared in the Super 12: once for the Chiefs in 1998.
He played for New Zealand sevens in eight international tournaments between 1985 and 1988, and was part of the first New Zealand team to win a Hong Kong Sevens title in 1986.
In the early part of his rugby union career he was a rival to Grant Fox for the All Blacks number 10 jersey. Botica was regarded as more a running player whereas Fox was considered a superior kicker and it was his rival who eventually won the selectors' favour, forcing Botica to the bench and restricting the number of rugby union tests he played. Ironically, after switching codes Botica became known as one of the most dependable goal-kickers in international league.
Botica joined Wigan in British rugby league in 1990, part of an exodus of All Black backs to rugby league including Matthew Ridge (Manly-Warringah), John Gallagher (Leeds) and John Schuster (Newcastle Knights). While at Wigan he became a prolific points scorer and the fastest man in the history of British league to reach 1,000 points.
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