Rugby League
Botica joined the Wigan rugby league club in British league in 1990, where he was a prolific points scorer and the fastest man to reach 1000 points. In 1991 he played for the New Zealand Māori side in his first match of rugby league in New Zealand. During the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season, he played for defending champions Wigan on the wing in their 1991 World Club Challenge victory against the visiting Penrith Panthers.
Botica played in seven internationals for the New Zealand Kiwis between 1991 and 1993, including an upset win over the Kangaroos in Melbourne.
During the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season Botica played at stand-off half for defending RFL champions Wigan in the 1992 World Club Challenge against the visiting Brisbane Broncos.
After the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season Botica travelled with defending champions Wigan to Brisbane, playing at five-eighth in their 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos.
Botica set a new record for most goals in a season for Wigan when he kicked 186 during the 1994–95 Rugby Football League season. He also had a season with the Auckland Warriors in 1995 and the Castleford Tigers in 1996. Despite eventually becoming a league standoff, Botica spent much of his time in the 13-aside code at either wing or fullback.
Read more about this topic: Frano Botica
Famous quotes containing the word league:
“I am not impressed by the Ivy League establishments. Of course they graduate the best—it’s all they’ll take, leaving to others the problem of educating the country. They will give you an education the way the banks will give you money—provided you can prove to their satisfaction that you don’t need it.”
—Peter De Vries (b. 1910)