Scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar will put on the captain’s armband in his closing skilled match when the Cheetahs and Griquas lock horns within the SA Cup at Shimla Park on Friday.
A stalwart of South African rugby, the 40-year-old playmaker will grasp up his boots after main the group in his eighty fifth match for the Free Staters.
“It’s a tragic day. I believe South Africa has had nice rugby gamers over time, and I believe so far as Ruan is anxious, the credit score he deserves has not all the time come his means,” Cheetahs director of rugby Frans Steyn mentioned.
Pienaar’s 20-year skilled profession began in 2004 with the Sharks in Durban, a journey that has seen him win a World Cup, play 88 Assessments for the Springboks, 141 video games for Ulster and 28 matches for Montpellier.
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“My rugby profession has gone full circle, and ending the place all of it started in Bloemfontein [at Grey College] and in entrance of household and associates is particular,” he defined.
“To return again [to South Africa] on the age of 35 and be a part of two Currie Cup titles was particular. I’m nonetheless an enormous fan of the Currie Cup collection and hope it may proceed for one more 100 years. It’s a contest with a lot historical past.
“So many massive names in South African rugby have been privileged to elevate the cup and play within the collection. For me, it nonetheless holds a particular place on the native rugby calendar.”
Pienaar has already taken the primary steps in his teaching profession when he formally joined the Free State U21s as backline and assault coach.
In the meantime, prop Alulutho Tshakweni is about to expire in his fiftieth and final match for the Cheetahs. Hooker Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Tapiwa Mafura and Sibabala Qoma (each Lions) can even make their closing look within the colors of the Bloemfontein outfit.
Cheetahs – 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Jooste Nel, 11 Litha Nkula, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar (c), 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Oupa Mohoje, 5 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 4 Pierre Uys, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.Sub: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Sisonke Vumazonke, 20 Will Hickey, 21 Neels Volschenk, 22 Marco Janse van Vuren, 23 Rewan Kruger.
Photograph: Charle Lombard/Gallo Photographs
