A stalwart says goodbye to the game
NEWS: Adriaan Strauss has officially announced that he will be retiring from all forms of the game at the end of the 2018 Super Rugby season, following a sterling 14-year rugby career.
He announced his retirement from Test rugby last year and followed that with a short sabbatical to recharge his batteries in the later part of the year. Strauss came back strong and made a huge impact on the Bulls 2018 Super Rugby season
He started his professional career within the Bulls junior system in 2004, going on to make his Super Rugby debut in 2006, playing in eight Super matches before moving to the Cheetahs, where he represented the Free State Franchise in 97 Super Rugby outings. The hooker was then lured back to Pretoria, where he played another 51 Super matches, making him the most capped South African Super Rugby player of all time with 156 caps to date.
Strauss captained the Bulls in 2016 and 2017, and was also appointed as the Springbok captain in 2016, becoming the 56th captain of the national team.
“Adriaan is no doubt a legend of Loftus and rugby in this country in general, and will be remembered for his never-say-die attitude,” said Xander Janse van Rensburg, High Performance Manager of the Blue Bulls Company.
“You don’t get to 156 caps unless you are made of something really special. One behalf of the entire #BullsFamily, I would like to wish him everything of the best with what lies ahead.”
Strauss thanked the Bulls for backing him.
“It hasn’t been an easy decision, but one that I’ve been thinking about for a while now. I have been blessed to play the game I love, with and against some amazing people, all while building some great friendships,” said Strauss. “The Bulls have always backed me and given me the opportunity to prove myself, and for this I am eternally grateful. It is however time for me to enter into the next phase of my life and focus on a few new ventures… and of course enjoy being a supporter while I’m at it.”
The Blue Bulls Company also confirmed that flank Shaun Adendorf and flyhalf Francois Brummer will also be released at the end of June to further their careers abroad.
