CAPE TOWN – It’s not every day that you see a Springbok pulling off a dance, but then again, Uzair Cassiem is not your average rugby player.
The 31-year-old No 8, who hails from Strand and earned eight Test caps between 2016 and 2017, bid farewell to Welsh club Scarlets on Sunday in unusual fashion – by doing a classical piece with his wife Qailah on the Parc y Scarlets pitch in Llanelli.
“Saying farewell, the only way I know how… It’s been an amazing 3 years with so many memories that I get to treasure,” Cassiem wrote on his social media accounts with the video of the dance, which was also posted on the Scarlets page.
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“You all have been so welcoming to my family and myself. I can’t thank you enough for that.
“Diolch (Thank you) Scarlets! You all are one of a kind!”
Cassiem will now join French club Bayonne, having spent three years at the Scarlets. He first made his name at the Pumas, having turned out for the Lions and Falcons previously.
After three years at the Pumas, he shot to prominence at the Free State Cheetahs, where his busy performances at No 8 and blindside flank earned him Bok selection under Allister Coetzee’s watch.
Cassiem shifted to the Scarlets in Wales in 2018, although he has not been in the Bok mix since 2017.
It is not the first time that the tall loose forward has shown off his moves, as he has posted a number of videos of choreographed dances with his wife and kids.
He was a hugely popular figure at the Scarlets, where he was known for interacting with fans after matches – before Covid-19.
“For the first few months, loneliness kicks in and you are missing a few people at home. Then me and my wife sat down and had a conversation and we said we need to embrace it, put ourselves out there, make friends and show people who we really are,” Cassiem told the WalesOnline website previously.
Saying farewell, the only way I know how…
— Uzair Cassiem (@uzair_cassiem) May 30, 2021
It’s been an amazing 3 years with so many memories that I get to treasure.
You all have been so welcoming to my family and myself. I can’t thank you enough for that.
Diolch Scarlets! You all are one of a kind!
Uzair pic.twitter.com/DwY9Q3zxkl
“From where I come from in South Africa, it’s what I’m used to, fans coming up to you after the game and connecting with them.
“It’s just good to get a feel of what they think, because their thoughts count, and I need to thank them because they don't know the effect they have on the team.
“The fans, the supporters are the biggest asset of the club. Without them, we wouldn’t be a club. The fans are here week-in, week-out, in sunshine and rain, cheering on the team. It’s really something to witness.
“The bond with supporters after games is important. You can see, having a chat with them, what a difference it makes in their lives. It puts a smile on their faces.”
IOL Sport