Schalk Brits has revealed the special game he wants to play just before his 40th birthday
Twenty-hours hours after announcing his retirement for a second time, World Cup winner Schalk Brits has told RugbyPass that has isn’t completely finished with rugby just yet.
Not only is he set to hook up with the Barbarians for their upcoming matches versus Brazil and Wales, but he will also attempt to play for Cambridge in the 2020 varsity match against Oxford at Twickenham.
“Yes, I will come out of retirement for the final time for the Barbarians,” said the 38-year-old before confirming that his plan to start an executive MBA course at Cambridge University, who will feature former Wallaby captain James Horwill in their line-up next month against Oxford.
Despite having been away for a considerable time for his family due to the World Cup with South Africa, Brits was convinced by his wife to link up with the Barbarians.
It was Rassie Erasmus who talked Brits out of his first retirement in 2018. Now he is ready for a player-coach role with the Barbarians ahead his latest exit.
(Continue reading below…)
“I’m getting involved with coaching the Barbarians and will join them for the matches with Brazil and Wales. I have a commitment to be in Hong Kong for Laureus this weekend when they play Fiji (in London).
“My role will probably be as mascot! I have been in talks for a while and my wife said ‘you love the Barbarians and this will be your last ever go’. I love the old school time with the Barbarians, the fun, having a beer with the lads and some golf. I will join the Barbarians next week. I will be doing Brazil and Wales and I will definitely get my boots on.”
The popular hooker has just finished the amazing bus tour around South Africa with the rest of the cup-winning Springboks, even bringing his three children with him for the Cape Town leg of the celebrations.
Schalk Brits, the forever smiling South African, has called time on his career and no call to a bar in Ibiza will change his mind this time around https://t.co/dNDpCB7uog
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 13, 2019
“I have only slept for 13 days in seven months at home,” he revealed. “My family took a bit of a beating from that perspective and it went from being home all the time while we were at Saracens to never being at home.
“If I am being selfish I would say it was worthwhile because we won the World Cup but if asked my kids, even though they had a fantastic time on the bus, there is a lot of time to make up. I have unbelievable memories but it was tough on my family.”
The chance to study at Cambridge is something Brits has been trying to arrange for the last two years and is part of the next stage of his working life in South Africa.
Could it be all over for yet another World Cup-winning Springbok as Frans Steyn is reportedly considering his options
https://t.co/SsPnd8yOEV— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2019
“I couldn’t start this September because of the World Cup and you cannot afford to miss all of those classes – you fail your year. I’m trying to sort out the finances to be able to start next September and I don’t know if they will want me to play in the varsity match at nearly 40 years old.
“I was the second oldest Springbok and one of the oldest World Cup winners. It means I have passed some milestones in recent years but I really don’t know if they want a 40-year-old. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet.”
WATCH: RugbyPass Rugby Explorer takes a trek through the South African rugby communities in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments