Wasps have confirmed that Springbok fullback Willie le Roux will leave the English club at the end of the season.
Le Roux joined Wasps from the Sharks in 2017 and has since resurrected his international career, becoming the Springboks’ first-choice fullback.
However, there were rumours that there was tension between Le Roux and Wasps after he missed a good portion of fixtures last year while on international duty.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young expressed his disappointment at losing the 29-year-old after his departure was confirmed on Tuesday.
‘It’s always disappointing to lose players of such quality, but this is professional sport and there isn’t much you can do about it,’ Young stated. ‘There are a number of factors that play a part in players’ decisions to move on and unfortunately these guys have opted to move on to pastures new for 2019-20.
‘Willie joined Wasps at a time when he wasn’t a part of the Springbok side, and since making the move here he has rediscovered his form and shown that he is a world-class player, which in turn has seen him restored to the national side, going on to make over 50 appearances. We’d like to place our thanks on record to Willie for his great service to the club over the past two and a half seasons.’
Le Roux thanked the club for its support and re-affirmed his commitment to helping the side until the end of the season.
‘I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Wasps and would like to thank everyone involved with the club for their support,’ Le Roux said. ‘I’ll continue to give my all until the end of the season in the black and gold.’
It’s previously been reported that Le Roux could be set for a move to the Vodacom Bulls, but he may also return to Japan to rejoin the Canon Eagles after the World Cup.
Photo: Manuel Blondeau/Getty Images
