For many South African rugby fans, the name Rob Louw holds a special place in their rugby memories. He was a player that exemplified the South African attitude of never giving up and playing the game of rugby to 100% of their ability.
I was privileged to spend some time talking to Rob about life in general and some of his rugby experiences. This is part one of our chat and covers his experiences as a player.
RJ – Your battle versus cancer is well documented. How has that changed your life?
RL – In 2009 I was diagnosed with a stage 4 melanoma and given 4 months to live and there were no cures or chemotherapy that was going to help me. My back was against the wall, so I researched my enemy on the internet. I found people who had fought cancer. I decided to fight the cancer and kept on reading up on and researching the subject. I have always lead a healthy life and enjoyed a good diet, so the changes have not been that radical. I have cut out sugar, which fuels cancer and have been cutting out sugars and carbohydrates for the last 5 years – a banting/Paleo type diet. I also ensure that I drink my three cups of green tea every day. I am a lover of fruit and could happily live off fish and fruit if it was possible. I am currently only 2 kilograms over my playing weight and keep fit with a lot of surfing and mountain biking and spending time in nature – a self confessed tree hugger. I just make sure I take the time to appreciate life. I also worked with medical company CIPLA to create a medical supplement and anti-oxidant comprising of turmeric and green tea extract called Rob’s Choice which is sold in pharmacies in South Africa.
RJ – What was it like to be a player during apartheid? Do you ever think “what could have been” if it were not for apartheid and international isolation?
RL – Yes, I feel that the Boks were superior to other teams in the 80’s and we had some incredible players. If we had been playing regular Test rugby, we could have enjoyed a period of domination similar to that of the Crusaders in Super Rugby. I consider myself to be lucky to have played in a team of that strength. We were able to gauge ourselves against the rest of the world when we were selected for various “World” teams. It is a pity that some of the truly great Springbok players of the the 1970’s and 1980’s do not get the recognition which they deserve. An example of this is after the contentious 1986 tour of South Africa by the New Zealand “Cavaliers”, which they lost 3 – 1, most of their top players were banned from playing the game for a while and lost their places in the All Blacks side. New Zealand went on to win the 1987 Rugby World Cup without the bulk of those players.
RJ -Your thoughts on the 1981 tour of NZ? How much of a surprise was the intensity of the protests? Did you actually get to see anything of NZ on that tour or were the Boks kept under lock and key?
RL – It was highly stressed. I played in a multi-racial South African Barbarians side that toured Britain in 1979 and there were no bad protests. We were surprised by their aggression and we could see how it split the country. What the tour did do was make the New Zealanders, South Africans and the rest of the world aware of the situation in South Africa. We did manage to get out to enjoy a bit of New Zealand and I took some time out to go skiing.
RJ – How highly did you rate playing against the British & Irish Lions as a career highlight?
RL – Very highly. South Africa had not played Test rugby for 6 years and we gave them a series hiding. We felt that we were stronger than the All Blacks at that stage. I remember being targeted in the 2nd Test and was carried off the field injured. I was intense after that and was sent away from the squad to take some time off to cool down. I spent a couple of days surfing and missed the first couple of practices before the 3rd Test. I remember taking on every Lions player during that 3rd Test!
RJ – Describe your time playing league for Wigan. Was it enjoyable and how difficult/easy was it to adapt to the format?
RL – It was an amazing experience. I moved from an exceptionally successful union at Western Province, to another exceptional team. Wigan was the marquee Rugby League team at that stage. I feel it suited game, so the transition was easy. As a forward with pace I could mix it with the backs.
Rob also shared some interesting thoughts on Springbok rugby, which we will share in part two of this interview.
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