Cape Town - Former Springbok lock Andries Bekker has announced his retirement from professional rugby.
Bekker played his final game for his Japanese club, the Kobelco Steelers, this past weekend when they defeated the Toshiba Brave Lupus in the Japanese Top League’s fifth-place playoff game.
The 34-year-old indicated on his Instagram account that his rugby career has come to an end.
Bekker played 29 Tests for the Springboks between 2008 and 2012.
The 2.08m beanpole was also a stalwart for Western Province and the Stormers before heading for Japan in 2013.