Ben Botica

Ben Botica
Birth name	Benjamin Botica
Date of birth	7 October 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth	Takapuna, New Zealand
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	85 kg (13 st 5 lb)
Notable relative(s)	Frano Botica (Father); Jacob Botica (Brother);
Occupation(s)	Rugby union player
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Fly-Half, Centre
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
	North Shore Rugby Club
Senior career
Years	Team
2011–2012; 2012–2016; 2016; 2017–2019; 2019–2021; 2021–2023; 2023-	Périgueux; Harlequins; Montpellier; Oyonnax; Bordeaux Bègles; Castres; Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente
	Correct as of 6 December 2019
Provincial / State sides
Years	Team
2009–2012	North Harbour

Ben Botica (born 7 October 1989,^[3] Takapuna) is a New Zealand rugby union player. A fly-half or centre, he plays for French club Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente.

The son of the New Zealand international Frano Botica, he played rugby at school and was selected to play for the New Zealand Schoolboys team.^[4] In 2008, he spent a year in France where he played with the Espoirs (Academy) team of Biarritz Olympique.^[5]

He then returned to New Zealand where he joined North Harbour. He played his first professional match in August 2009 against Southland in the Air New Zealand Cup.^[6] In 2011, he narrowly missed out on selection for the Auckland Blues franchise and the chance to play in Super Rugby.^[4] He returned to France where he played the 2011-2012 Pro D2 season with CA Périgueux.^[5]

Late in the season, it was announced that he had signed a two-year contract with Harlequins^[1] although he actually signed in October 2011.^[7] As a British passport holder, he did not count as a foreign player. In his initial season with Harlequins, he was the top points scorer (with 78) in the LV Cup.^[8]

In his final game at Harlequins, the 2016 European Challenge Cup Final, Botica came on as a replacement to face the club he was about to join. With time nearly up and Quins trailing by 7 points he kicked the ball to Montpellier who put it into touch to end the game. Most had expected him to keep the ball live and mount one final attack to attempt to level the scores and take it to extra time.^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12] It was Head Coach Conor O'Shea's last game for the club.