Cape Town - The Blue Bulls confirmed on Tuesday that loose forward Boom Prinsloo will be retiring from professional rugby with immediate effect.

This came after a mutual agreement between both parties.

The 29-year-old was born in Bloemfontein and is another proud product of Grey College. He represented the Free State Cheetahs in 51 Super Rugby matches and 37 Currie Cup matches, before making the move to Loftus.

He then went on to represent the Blue Bulls in eight Currie Cup matches, captaining on four occasions, and also making 12 SuperSport Challenge appearances (six as a captain).

Xander Janse van Rensburg, High Performance Manager of the Blue Bulls Company, thanked him for his contributions: "Boom will always be remembered as an unsung hero. A man that put in the hard yards and represented the #BullsFamily with absolute distinction, and seldom got the credit he deserved from the rugby public.

"Besides being a tough-as-nails old school flanker, he also played a major leadership role both on and off the field in mentoring his younger team mates. We would like to sincerely thank him for his outstanding efforts, and would like to wish him all the best as he embarks on the next phase of his life."

"It's never easy making a decision like this," elaborated Prinsloo.

"I have dedicated my life to this beautiful game, and there's no doubt that I feel a little mix of emotions. Having said that, I also realise that it's a good time for me to move on, and embrace the next chapter of my life. Thank you to everybody that has contributed to my career and given me the opportunity and privilege to play this beautiful game."