Cape Town - The Bulls are proving that they are serious about turning their scrum into a force after confirming the signing of Springbok tighthead prop Wilco Louw on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old front-rower has concluded a three-year contract with the Pretoria side, but will join them on July 1, 2023.
Louw hails from Ceres in the Western Cape and featured for Boland at Under-18 level and SA Schools, and later played for the Stormers before joining English club Harlequins.
But he did spend his post-school junior years at the Bulls, where he made a name for himself and was part for the SA Under-20 side that lost to England in the 2014 world championship final.
Louw is a big unit and renowned for being a rock in the scrums, which saw him earn 14 Springbok Test caps as well.
Welcome HOME Wilco Louw 💪 The Springbok-capped Tighthead returns to Loftus, where it all began, on a 3-year deal 🐃
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) October 26, 2022
More, here: https://t.co/GXCyYhNVbC#TrueToTheBlue #BullsHeard pic.twitter.com/dzxh3ziqFK
But he has largely been out of the Bok mix while at Harlequins, and a return to South Africa will put him back in the eye of national coach Jacques Nienaber.
The Bulls, though, will have to wait eight more months before they can utilise his services.
Coach Jake White will be eager to call on Louw to boost a Bulls scrum that has been inconsistent over the last few years.
Mornay Smith has been the leading tighthead since Trevor Nyakane left for France, while the likes of veteran Jacques van Rooyen and youngsters Francois Klopper and Robert Hunt have also filled in at No 3.
But Louw will bring that powerful right shoulder, and his experience of playing in Europe will stand the Bulls in good stead in the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup.
“The Bulls play an exciting brand of rugby and they have great coaches. I am excited for the new challenge ahead. I am looking forward to running out in the jersey once more and to having the opportunity in the United Rugby Championship,” Louw said on Wednesday.
“It is exciting to be going back to South Africa and to be reunited with the Bulls. I had an unbelievable time at Harlequins with great memories and hopefully we can make some great memories in Pretoria too.
“My rugby career started at the Bulls, and I think it's every rugby player’s dream to win a few trophies in their career, so I am very keen to join the team and work with great players and coaches to make that dream our reality.”
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