Louis Schreuder hopes his knowledge and experience as a proven winner will be a mutually beneficial chapter in his distinguished rugby career at the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers.
The former Springbok scrumhalf can genuinely say he has seen and done it all during a career where he represented the Stormers (Super Rugby), Western Province (Carling Currie Cup), Kubota Spears (Japanese League One), the Southern Kings (Super Rugby), Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby and Carling Currie Cup), Toulon (France Top14), Newcastle Falcons and Bath (both English Premiership) at the highest level.
Schreuder joins up with the Kavas on Tuesday, 1 July, after a very successful final stint at Bath, who recently won the Premiership title and also bagged the European Challenge Cup crown under the guidance of former Springbok assistant coach Johan van Graan.
Despite him playing a more behind-the-scenes role during his final tenure at Bath, the former Springbok says he has loads to share with a Cavas team he has an intimate bond with.
“Connection [to a team] is something that is very important to me,” says Schreuder. “I grew up here in Wellington, probably like 500 metres away from the Boland stadium.
“As a toddler, I used to come and watch Boland play rugby with my dad, who played and coached at Boland.
“I also have quite fond memories of the Wellington rugby club where my dad coached. That was the place where I truly started falling in love with the game.
“He played and coached at Boland for a bit. He coached the Wellington rugby club as well, and that is where I fell in love with the game.”
Although Schreuder played all his youth rugby in the colours of Western Province, right up until senior level, he says he remains a Bolander at heart. His wife, who is expecting the latest addition to their family, is making the big move back to Wellington from the United Kingdom.
“My family and I have adapted very well in Wellington since returning from England,” he says. “I am originally from Wellington, so I know lots of people here and most of my family members still live here.
“The transition back has been seamless, and I am excited to [once again] stay close to Boland Park as well.”
The veteran halfback, however, knows his fellow younger teammates who are also vying for the number nine shirt will not just make way for him to grab the jumper.
“I am excited to get going. It looks like a hungry group of players, and coach Hawies [Fourie] has created a good culture with them. I am thrilled to start and meet everyone and hopefully add a bit of value and experience.”
Schreuder knows a thing or two about winning Carling Currie Cup titles, having achieved this success with Western Province in 2012 and the Sharks in 2018.
“Firstly, it will be to be as fit as possible when we start the [Carling] Currie Cup campaign and try and contribute as much as I can, share my knowledge on and off the pitch and then try to play as high a level of rugby as I can.
“I still have that hunger to compete and win games. Everything is very well set up for me and my family. It is a bit of a full-circle moment for me, even though I played schoolboy rugby for Western Province and represented them at the senior level as well.
“My first love was always Boland, and it is a very good feeling to be back home.”