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The 28-year-old South African who turned his back on Top 14 to farm sheep and goats
By Online Editors
Ex-South African under-20s international Paul Jordaan is finished with professional rugby at just the age of 28. It was last May, just two months after agreeing on a contract extension through to 2021, that La Rochelle announced that the Junior World Cup-winning centre was leaving. Now, eleven months later he has confirmed he is finished with the sport for a life on the farm.
Jordaan arrived in Europe in 2016 following five Super Rugby seasons with the Sharks and his initial two years at La Rochelle were highly productive. Injuries became an issue in his third year, yet the club still offered him an agreement that somehow wound up getting torn up within a matter of weeks.
At the time of his sudden departure, Jordaan remained mysterious about the reasons for his choice. “What an adventure,” he posted at the time. “A place that has helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person.
“I have had immense disappointments and joys over the past three years, both on the field and outside. I made incredible friends who are now my family. Each of you has had an impact on my life in one way or another, I am very grateful to you.”
Eleven months on, he has finally lifted the lid on his surprise exit, telling sarugbymag.co.za that he has no regrets about quitting. “I feel like I left rugby on my own terms, on my own decision. I’m now doing something I really like, so it was not that difficult,” he said, explaining why he decided to settle on the family farm near Durban.
“We raise sheep and goats. We have a few Kalahari red goats and we also have a hunting trip business with American customers, but the past few years have been difficult for the company. We are emerging from a period of five years of drought. For a long time now, I wanted to come back and help.
“I’m done (with rugby). I decided it was time to hang up my boots and start my life after rugby. When you are a player, you live in a bubble and many boys leave it too late. I don't want to make this mistake. I feel like it was the right time for me to leave the rugby scene and start my next life.”
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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