The 53-year-old prop forward will make his 500th appearance for Glyncorrwg RFC when they host Maesteg in a local derby tomorrow afternoon.
That’s some achievement, while his overall career record is even more eye-catching.
He reckons he has played close on 1,000 games in all, taking into account his early days with Pencoed RFC and guest outings for other clubs, along with all the friendlies, district and representative matches he has figured in over the years.
“I have been battered!” he admits.
So what is it that has kept him at the coal-face for so long?
“I just love playing rugby,” he replies. “When we haven’t got a game, I go and help the likes of Tonmawr or Nantymoel out. There’s good banter when you meet people on and off the field.
“They will say to me ‘Oh, you are not still playing, you must be mad!’ and things like that. But then other people will say ‘I wish I had carried on, like you’.
“I just genuinely enjoy playing. It’s been something like 45 years altogether.”
Ludlow started out with his hometown club of Pencoed, coming up through the ranks with the juniors and the youth, going on to make 132 senior appearances for the club before joining Glyncorrwg in 1995 at the age of 25.
His debut came against Bridgend Athletic in January of that year and close to three decades later he is still donning the boots for them in Division Four West Central, having scored 19 tries along the way.
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