Springbok back-rower Francois Louw believes that rugby will become a younger man’s sport in the future due to the collisions involved.
The 34-year-old announced recently that he will hang up his boots at the end of the current campaign with Bath and the Rugby World Cup winner told the telegraph.co.uk that he can only see less and less players making it that far into their career.
“I don’t think guys are going to play until 35 any more. I cannot see that happening. You have an 18.5 stone player running into an 18.5 stone player. We can all preach the beautiful game, but those two guys are trying to kill each other. They have to, because it’s a professional game and you get paid to win. I remember we went into the hospital and they pulled the wheelchair out for my wife, and she said, ‘It’s not for me, he’s having a neck op’. We have seen some sad injuries in the Premiership, with Rob Horne and Michael Fatialofa, freak accidents, but it’s also the reality of the game,” he said.
The 76-cap Springbok has managed to have an incredible career, becoming one of the star men in his position, but it is grim to imagine that players of his quality may not be around for as long as him if the sport continues in the current direction.
Following his retirement, Louw is hoping to go into the financial industry, but before then he will be hooping to help Bath have a strong finish to the season, whenever it resumes.
