Francois Louw denied swansong as flanker calls time on career

Springbok star Francois Louw said goodbye to the game on Saturday. Louw, 35, was part of Rassie Erasmus’ 2019 World Cup-winning squad and he announced his retirement from Test rugby soon after the tournament.

Earlier this year, Louw revealed that the 2019/2020 season was also going to be his last for English club Bath.

“Today [Saturday] marks my final day as a pro rugby player,” Louw said on social media.

“No final swansong game or fairytale farewell but that is not what I will remember. I have the memories of this adventure with me forever & I will look back everyday with my heart full & content. Thank you for being part of that.”

Louw has 76 international caps for South Africa under his belt. The Bath flank has made 134 starts in 140 appearances with the club.

By the time of his Springbok debut Louw had already racked up 50 appearances for Western Province as well as forming part of the Stormers’ highly-successful back row trio alongside Schalk Burger and Duane Vermeulen.

Having started in their Super 14 Final defeat to the Bulls in Soweto in 2010, Louw was rewarded with a call-up to the South Africa squad for their June Tests. He debuted against Wales in Cardiff before scoring his first Test try in a rout against France at Newlands, his home ground in Cape Town.