From trauma to triumph: Elrigh Louw on horror knee injury and remarkable comeback

Louw enjoyed a breakout 2024 with the Boks, delivering several standout performances before being forced to miss the entire 2025 season after tearing multiple ligaments (including his ACL, MCL, and PCL) in his left knee, as well as fracturing his leg, during a URC match against the Lions back in January.

There were genuine fears that it could be a career-ending injury, but thankfully, the surgery was a success and Louw returned to action ahead of schedule when the Bulls faced the Lions in Pretoria last month.

Although the 26-year-old is regarded as one of the hard men of South African rugby, he admitted that it was a traumatic experience he would not like to relive.

"Obviously, it's not great memories," he told News24. "I haven't actually watched the footage of me getting injured; it was, in a sense, quite traumatic and really painful.

"I haven't felt anything like that before and would never wish that on anyone.

"Ja, it was tough and really painful. I obviously knew that I would be out of contention and out for the rest of the season and not be able to play for the Boks.

"That was the most difficult part to get over."

Louw revealed that despite sustaining a fractured leg, the main concern was the ligament damage in his knee.

"It wasn't quite a leg break, it was just bone bruising and stuff - it was just the (knee) ligaments that were off and the meniscus," he explained.

Considering the horrific nature of his injury, Louw said the recovery process was something he took very seriously, which ultimately helped him return earlier than expected.

"My mindset was always right in rehab," he said.

Obviously, the medical staff was great and the (recovery) plan was great. Rehab is also not set in stone; 12 months is a relative time - you can be ready earlier or later than that.

"Dr Bradley Gelbart, the doctor that operated on me, must get a lot of credit for fixing the knee well because we didn't have a lot of setbacks. That's why I think we got it done earlier."

Louw admitted he was quite apprehensive about how his knee would hold up when he returned to action, especially after such a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

"That's the most difficult part when you come back from injury; the mental battle not to get re-injured and getting trust back into the body and the knee that was injured," he admitted.

"It's something I worked on months before I started to play again; imagining how it would be when I got back onto the pitch.

"It's a promise I made to myself not to be scared or worry about the knee because when the doctors and medical staff cleared me to play, it meant I was good to play.

"So it was really something I focused on because it's something people struggle with when coming back from injury.

"I'm 100% confident in the knee; obviously, the rest of the body is something different - the shoulders are sore after contact, and the body still needs to get battle-fit..."

Louw has played four games off the bench since making his comeback and said his match fitness is something which he is still working on, although he is confident that he is on the right track.

"I was a bit rusty after the months I was out, but it's good," said Louw.

"Game fitness is something you need to get within games, but it's been great to be back with the team and not alone with rehab.

"It was tough going to Loftus and watching everyone run out to play; you really miss the matchdays and the camaraderie of the team.

"I think that was a small part of why I came back so early - I was so motivated to get back to the team."