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When the Gloucester Rugby Captaincy was handed to Tomos Williams ahead of last season, it marked a stark turning point for the club’s longest-serving skipper. Lewis Ludlow had guided the Cherry and Whites through five seasons, but the sudden decision forced him to confront a challenging new reality within the Kingsholm dressing room. Reflecting on the management’s choice to alter the leadership group, Ludlow admitted the development hit hard. “It was brutal,” he acknowledged, noting that while the eventual passing of the baton was inevitable, the precise schedule arrived as an unexpected shock during the pre-season build-up. If given the opportunity, he admitted he would “take it back tomorrow” without hesitation. “I’d kind of prepared myself for it because it was always going to happen at some point,” Ludlow explained. “I didn’t think it would be that timing but it was and I felt like the only thing I could do then was worry about my rugby and be the best bloke I could be to help Tommy [Williams].” Williams has been a strong leader in a difficult time and they will also be welcoming the experience of Morgan expectantly for his talent on the pitch but also his leadership qualities. England pedigree Transitioning from the official figurehead to a senior squad pillar required tactical and emotional adjustments. “I didn’t change personally, but it takes some getting used to.” Squad colleagues frequently still addressed him by his long-held moniker, and match officials instinctively sought out his counsel after the final whistle. Rather than retreating, the back-row forward forged a collaborative dynamic with Williams, ensuring his experience remained an asset on the pitch. Ludlow focused entirely on delivering maximum value to the side while allowing the Welsh scrum-half to direct proceedings on matchdays. Having two players with experience of captaining the side has only been a positive and with the signing of Jac Morgan this summer, another leadership figure will give a boost to the Gloucester squad. That natural leadership pedigree previously propelled Ludlow into rare international territory. During the summer of 2021, Eddie Jones appointed him to skipper England against the United States and Canada, making him only the fifth man in history to lead the national side on his international debut. Reflecting on his England career Though a red card in the second match concluded his international playing days at two caps, Ludlow cherishes the experience and the subsequent support from Jones. “It was possibly the nicest thing anyone’s ever written about me and he [Jones] explained why he picked me as captain, the leadership skills I’ve shown and how he’d been to watch all the games during the season,” Ludlow recalled. “It was what I was doing in the warm-ups, what I was doing in the huddles, what I was doing post-game, which is why he wanted to make me the captain.” “When I finished that summer I’d never been fitter, I’d never been stronger,” he added. “We played some class rugby in those two games and I got to become the fifth person to captain my country ever on debut and for that I’ll always be grateful.” That summer series during the Lions tour also helped provide opportunities to several future England stars. Physical rejuvenation has now accompanied his mental reset. After five years of persistent hand and wrist agony that left him struggling with routine household tasks, corrective surgery in April fused the thumb joints on his right hand. Premiership Rugby The procedure has delivered profound relief in his daily routine and Premiership Rugby duties. “To be able to just do normal everyday tasks without things hurting as much as they did, it’s quite strange really, but it was a nice feeling,” Ludlow revealed, reporting that his body feels “really good” as he prepares for his 14th campaign. As his testimonial period commences, Lewis Ludlow stands just 13 appearances shy of surpassing Nick Wood’s professional-era benchmark of 277 appearances for Gloucester Rugby. Reaching that summit remains a primary competitive target alongside his philanthropic commitments. Throughout the next 12 months, his testimonial campaign will raise crucial funds for two primary causes: the 4Ed campaign, founded by former teammate Ed Slater, and the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. Free of physical restrictions and focused entirely on team performance, Ludlow approaches the milestone season ready to etch his name into the Kingsholm history books. A career like this and aiming for records to finish his career shows the quality he has possessed to play at this level for such a long time. Gloucester will aim to have a better season after finishing eighth out of 10 teams last season. Their five wins saw them finish one point ahead of Harlequins in ninth and they were four points behind Bristol Bears. Gloucester kick off their Prem Cup campaign off to a start this weekend against the Bristol Bears.