He played Super Rugby for the Bulls and the Cheetahs, making 156 appearances, a record by a South African player.

Strauss made his international debut for South Africa[1] on 19 July 2008 coming off the bench against Australia in the Tri Nations.

He stayed with the team for the remainder of the Tri Nations earning 5 caps, but missed out on the November tour to the UK following the return of John Smit to action with Chiliboy Ralepelle leapfrogging him in the selection order.

Despite Strauss' excellent form, the 2016 Rugby Championship was a disappointment for the Springboks as the team suffered a 57-15 loss to the All Blacks in the final round of the tournament, placing them third overall.

Strauss announced that he would retire from International Rugby at the end of 2016, playing his final match for the Springboks on 26 November that year.