RUDI Keil has played his final game for Worcester after leaving the rugby club in a shock move.

The South African made up his mind last week to return to his homeland and will not return to Sixways next season.

The 22-year-old centre has enjoyed a successful season since an October move to Worcester and struck up a good understanding with Alistair Murdoch and Scott Barrow. However, his involvement in Saturday's 43-17 win over Moseley will be his last for the club after returning home yesterday.

The former South Western Eagles three-quarter wants to play in the Currie Cup campaign which begins in the summer with the intention of breaking into the full South African side in the next couple of years.

After Worcester's failure to win promotion this season, Keil did not believe he could attract sufficient attention playing at Division One level in England to impress Springbok selectors.

Coach Adrian Skeggs said: "He came to me last week and said he wanted to return home. We said he could go before the end of the season so he can have a couple of weeks to prepare for the Currie Cup campaign.

"It's disappointing but we are certainly not struggling in that area considering the talent of Scott Barrow, Alistair Murdoch and Andy Higgins."

However, with Higgins looking certain to move to a Zurich Premiership club in the summer, it means Skeggs may now have to recruit two new centres for next season.

The Australian, though, was full of praise for Keil who he believes will go on to greater things.

He added: "Rudi has enormous potential and has done a really good job for us this season.

"In fairness to him, we brought him over when we knew Andy Higgins would miss most of the season so it was always going to be a temporary thing.

"Rudi is very ambitious and his main aim is to become a Springbok. He sees moving back to South Africa as his best way of achieving that ambition."