How do you reflect on your career?
It really was the fairy tale journey. Being a young South African boy with hopes of playing professionally, playing for Western Province was the initial dream. I achieved that in my second year out of school and the rest is history.
Rugby has taken me to the UK, where I’ve fallen in love with Bath and spent the most time at one club, and as a family we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time here. To play for a club like Bath with all its history and heritage, everything has been awesome.
Obviously, I wish we could have taken the Premiership title when we reached the final in 2015. It wasn’t to be but I really am retiring with a full and content heart. That year was particularly disappointing because South Africa lost a World Cup semi-final by two points to New Zealand as well, but I got my winner’s medal last year in Japan and it’s the right time to hang up my boots.
To cap things off that way against England in Yokohama after losing your opening game to New Zealand, how do you assess that World Cup now?
This story is from the June 28, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the June 28, 2020 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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