Lewis Ludlow Targets Gloucester Appearance Record in Testimonial Season

Lewis Ludlow has set his sights on Gloucester's professional-era appearance record as he prepares for his testimonial season with the Premiership club. The 31-year-old flanker told BBC Radio Gloucestershire that he needs 13 more games to pass Nick Wood's record of 277 appearances, though he acknowledged that he still has a long way to go.

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The 2026-27 campaign will be Ludlow's 14th season at Gloucester, the only club of his senior career after he progressed through its academy. He has already made more than 250 appearances for the Cherry and Whites. His five years as skipper from 2020 to 2025 made him the longest-serving captain in Gloucester's history.

Ludlow described losing the captaincy last August as a difficult experience and said he would accept the role again if it were offered. Tomos Williams replaced him for the 2025-26 season before moving to Saracens this summer. Ludlow said he concentrated on his own rugby and supporting Williams, while teammates continued to call him "Skip" and referees sometimes still approached him after matches out of habit.

His leadership record also includes captaining England in both of his international appearances in 2021. Then-head coach Eddie Jones selected Ludlow to lead a squad against the United States and Canada while a number of players were away on British and Irish Lions duty. Ludlow became the fifth player to captain England on his debut. A red card against Canada brought a four-game suspension, and he did not play for England again, although he later attended training camps.

Ludlow enters the new club season after surgery in April fused joints in his right thumb. Persistent hand and wrist injuries disrupted his previous campaign, and he told the BBC he now feels pain-free for the first time in five years. He will continue wearing a cast in matches, but said the operation has also made ordinary activities easier after pain had sometimes prevented him from lifting his young son or handling household items.

Alongside pursuing Wood's record, Ludlow plans to use testimonial events over the next 12 months to raise money for two charities. One is 4Ed, established by his friend and former Gloucester teammate Ed Slater following Slater's motor neurone disease diagnosis. The other is the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. Ludlow said he wants the fundraising to provide clear, meaningful support to both organizations.