Neck injury forces veteran Cheetahs prop to call time on his career

Cheetah prop Charles Marais has announced that he will be hanging up his boots following a professional career that spanned 10 years.

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He has been medically advised to stop playing due to a neck injury. 

Charles Marais was included in the Free State U19 squad for the 2007 season and was part of the Free State U21 team which won the competition in 2009. 

From 2009 to 2013 he represented Shimlas in the Varsity Cup.

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He made his debut for the Free State team against the Argentinean Pampas XV and remained involved in the Cheetahs’ Vodacom Cup campaigns, making 15 appearances in total.

Marais had two short spells at the Griffons and made his Currie Cup debut during the 2012 Currie Cup First Division against the Falcons, marking the occasion by scoring his first-ever try.

In 2014 Marais made his Super Rugby debut for the Lions during the against the Bulls.

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He joined the EP Kings in July 2014 before the Currie Cup competition and played seven matches for them. 

Marais then returned to Bloemfontein and made his Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs in 2016 and played all 10 matches in the season, including the home final against the Blue Bulls.

He also started on the bench in the 2019 Currie Cup final when the Cheetahs beat the Lions in the final. 

The 32-year-old stalwart retires from rugby just short of 100 Cheetahs caps which includes 28 Super Rugby, 43 PRO14 and 20 Currie Cup matches. 

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“I have been blessed to play this game for so long and could never have imagined I would be a professional for 10 years and travel to so many wonderful places around the world,” said Charles Marais.

Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie also paid tribute to Marais.

“Charles been a great servant to the Toyota Cheetahs and has had a major influence on the entire squad. We now wish him and his family all the very best for the future.”