Springboks Prop Calls Time on Career with Immediate Effect

Gqoboka brings the curtain down on a remarkable career that took him from humble beginnings in the Eastern Cape to the international stage. The Vodacom Bulls confirmed on Friday that the 36-year-old loosehead had decided to call time on his playing career after becoming a mainstay of the Pretoria-based side.

He earned two Test caps for the Springboks and enjoyed professional spells with the EP Kings, Stormers and French club Montpellier before establishing himself as one of the Bulls’ most dependable front-rowers. The experienced prop admitted that his decision had been coming for some time following a difficult period with injuries.

“I think it’s been long coming,” Gqoboka said to SA Rugby Mag. “Most of my early thirties and the past four years especially, with all the injuries I was getting back to back, I knew it was really getting close. But I was so grateful to finish here, with the Vodacom Bulls.”

Gqoboka signed off in fitting fashion, producing a memorable performance in a warm-up fixture against Currie Cup side Valke. The loosehead scored two tries, won eight scrum penalties and was named Man of the Match, allowing him to finish his career on his own terms rather than being forced into retirement by injury.

“I just felt that it’s time. I knew I was always on the edge, but I just had this knowing now that it’s time, at 36,” he said. “I’ve had a good run. I’ve had a really good run, and so I think my heart is just full with gratitude and contentment.”

Gqoboka’s journey to the highest level of rugby was far from conventional. Raised in Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape, he did not begin playing rugby seriously until the age of 19, having previously focused on soccer and athletics. Before rugby became his profession, Gqoboka worked loading trucks and later at a funeral parlour. He also completed a business management qualification while holding down a full-time job in construction.

“I couldn’t tell you the difference between a prop and a hooker when I started,” he admitted. “I had never watched rugby before I played it. I just took the ball and ran fast because I played soccer and did athletics.”

His potential was eventually spotted by former Springbok Robbi Kempson, who helped him secure his first professional contract with the EP Kings. From there, Gqoboka’s career continued to rise. He represented the Stormers, spent time in France with Montpellier and became a popular and reliable figure at the Bulls, where he played the final chapter of his professional career.

However, when asked to name the proudest moment of his journey, there was only one answer.

“Definitely playing for the Springboks, representing my country. I think that’s the biggest one for any player.”

After an extraordinary rise from rugby newcomer to Springbok international, Gqoboka leaves the game with two Test caps, a long list of professional achievements and, as he described it, a heart full of “gratitude and contentment.”