Ulster back Louis Ludik has retired from rugby after seven seasons with the Irish province.

Having arrived at Ulster from French outfit Agen in 2014, the 34-year-old's contract was set to expire at the end of this season, but an unsuccessful return to training following his head injury prompted an early decision.

"I just couldn't bounce back from my injury. It's a good time for me to stop my career and call it a day. It's just best for my future and family," he said.

"The reason we basically called it a day is when I went back into training and did a bit of contact the headaches would come back, so we just realised it's not worth it.

"That was a bit of controlled contact in a session, let alone playing in a game."

With the ability to play across the back three, Ludik has built a reputation as one of Ulster's most reliable performers during his seven-year stint in Belfast, where he plans to stay with his family.

He scored 13 tries for the province, and is among a number of South African players to have built up a strong rapport with Ulster's fanbase.

"To have been able to play seven years, there's just no way I would have believed you if you told me back then, but it's been incredible," he reflected.

"It's the whole experience. The pressure of playing in front of 20,000 or 40,000 people, working incredibly hard off the field, the early mornings... trying to be as fit as you can and then succeeding, playing good rugby and being rewarded by fans enjoying watching you.

"You never know when it's your last game. So try and play the best you can and leave everything out there. It's scary how quickly it can end."

The Kempton Park native, who played for the Sharks before leaving South Africa for Europe, was never capped by the Springboks despite being named in their training squad in 2018.

"It's always a dream as a professional to play international rugby; that's the ultimate, to be right at the peak," he said.

"Unfortunately I never made it but I've made peace with it a long time ago. If I had maybe won one cap for the Springboks I would not have been able to stay at Ulster for so long, so there's a lot of positives to not have played."

Ulster coach Dan McFarland added: "Louis' contribution to the province will have a lasting legacy. As a top-class professional both on and off the field, we will miss what he brought to the club as a player and, more significantly, as a person where he brought a sense of enjoyment and positivity to everything he did.

"We wish Louis and his family the very best for the future and thank him for everything he has given to Ulster over the past seven years."

Ludik will continue to run his meat business alongside former Ulster team-mate Schalk van der Merwe from his home in Northern Ireland.