VIDEO: Le Roux reflects on milestone moment
WATCH as the latest Springbok centurion Willie le Roux reflects on the moment he took the field on the occasion of his 100th Test cap.
The 35-year-old Le Roux took the road less travelled.
The Strand native’s decorated career began with the Boland Cavaliers before he went on to represent Griquas and the Cheetahs, a period that culminated in his Springbok debut in 2013.
He’s played in Japan and England and is now a senior member of the Bulls side, and is a mentorBok teammates Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Le Roux’s journey to 100 Test caps can be seen as a full circle moment as he donned the green and gold jumper against Italy in 2013 for the first time and against the same opponents in 2025 – both on home soil.
Le Roux admitted that running out on the special occasion was emotional, but that he tried to keep calm and not allow the occasion to overwhelm the job that was at hand against the Azzurri.
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“Since I was six years old, I wanted to play for the Springboks, and I wanted to play rugby.
“I wanted to make it work, even if I had to go for a different route.
“And just to be here with my family, and my wife, and everyone here today [Saturday] and celebrate this milestone of the 100th cap being in South Africa is amazing.
“My phone has never, even with the two World Cups combined, ever been like this week.
“So yeah, it’s quite emotional, and to try and stay off that, and there was a job to do first.
“It was quite hard to try and balance that emotion and [you’re] trying not to do something stupid, for instance, at the start of the match, because you want to show something.
“So yeah, when I ran out on my own, it was very emotional. I actually didn’t know what to do.
“I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was just waiting for the team to come out, and I wanted to start playing.
“It’s something that is very special, which I’m very thankful for.”
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