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Willie le Roux posts 'epic' farewell message to Toyota Verblitz

26 Apr 2023

(Photo by Steven Markham/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Veteran Springboks full-back Willie le Roux has brought the curtain down on his four-year stay in Japan, posting his Toyota Verblitz farewell message on social media. Having spent two seasons at Wasps in England in the run-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the South African decided to stay on in Japan after the Springboks lifted the title.

The 33-year-old made his 50th appearance earlier this month for Verblitz and the seventh-place club ended their Japanese regular season last weekend with a 37-27 win over Shizuoka Blue Revs, a game that was also the last at the club for Joe Launchbury.

The England lock is set for a return to the Gallagher Premiership, with the ex-Wasps talisman having a deal already signed with Harlequins.

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There was no indication as to what the club future holds for le Roux, Launchbury’s old Wasps colleague, whether it might be back in South Africa with one of the URC teams or even with another club in Japan.

Le Roux wrote: “I’d like to thank the staff and my teammates for an epic four years and to our wonderful fans for always being so supportive. I appreciate the opportunity to have represented such a great team. Arigato, Toyota Verblitz.”

I’d like to thank the staff and my team mates for an epic 4 years and, to our wonderful fans for always being so supportive. I appreciate the opportunity to have represented such a great team, Arigato @toyotaverblitz 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/9BFKuiq1ke
— Willie le roux (@wjjleroux) April 25, 2023

It was last November in London when le Roux won his 83rd cap for the Springboks in their Autumn Nations Series win over England. He will now return to South Africa to prepare for his country’s World Cup title retention bid, a project that kicks off with their Rugby Championship campaign versus Australia on July 9 in Pretoria.

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Comments on RugbyPass

DS 13 minutes ago

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Let’s blame a Chief instead ! 😀

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DS 20 minutes ago

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My bad. Let’s just carry on failing with the same tried and true. When DMac was 10 v France in Dunedin the ABs scored 7 tries; the same in Mendoza. Let's leave him on the bench till the game is already lost or better yet in the stands just in case he might run sideways. BB and SloMo can get the job done. No need to take a risk, especially now that Razor loves his Little Mo. SA will be delighted. No risk Kiwi - that’s the answer / the road to Cup success!

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Blackmania 26 minutes ago

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I don’t really share Johnson’s opinion. Nothing better than Tupaea and Lienert-Brown in NZ? It’s a good duo, and he wouldn’t look out of place, but I think we can do better. Tavatavanawai seems superior to Tupaea at 12. He’s a brute force, who makes few mistakes (which can still be criticized in Tupaea), formidable both with and without the ball in close contact. I can see him playing with Proctor. On paper, this combination would be very, very interesting, in the same philosophy as the iconic Nonu/C Smith duo.

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I imagine Jordie, Havili, Rieko, and Fainga'anuku with Tavatavanawai. Ennor or Proctor if Fainga'anuku is not selected in July. And ALB if Jordie is rested

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It still reflects poorly on the RFU. Obviously the coaches would get it for bombing a home world cup. They were in a pool of death though and just never recovered from the Welsh loss. They seemed to have Burgess shoehorned into the squad by the RFU too.

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IkeaBoy 59 minutes ago

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Most of the (smart) premier league coaches are locked into contracts that renders them too expensive to be sacked, early doors.

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IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

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Mitch 1 hour ago

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fl 1 hour ago

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One factor that might be important is that NBA and the NFL are 1 league sports. Rugby league is pretty much a 2 league sport, and those 2 leagues are so far apart there can’t be much trading between them. Rugby union and especially association football have many more leagues, and so there are more opportunities for younger managers to break through.

Also, the fact that Rugby tends to have less chopping and changing of coaches is an argument against hiring older coaches. Hire a good coach in his 40s and he could stay in the job for 20 years, but realistically how long would Les Kiss be the best coach in Australia for?

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LE 1 hour ago

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fl 2 hours ago

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on what basis is earl a better 7 than 8?

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you’re right that Pollock won’t go to the Lions, but he’s a much better 8 than he is a 7. That’s because - like Earl - his carrying game is immense but his defensive workrate is a step behind players like Curry, Curry, Underhill, and Pepper.

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fl 2 hours ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

he’s never played 6

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Spew_81 2 hours ago

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Agree. I was replying to JHW’s comment.

Most tier one nations, apart from the Pumas and the Springboks are guilty of poaching tier two talent.

It will keep happening until the eligibility rules are properly fixed.

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JD Kiwi 2 hours ago