Plying his trade for Llanelli Scarlets in the Magners League, Meeuws was happy propping up a scrum and being well compensated for his efforts.
But fate intervened with an Achilles snapping last November, which led to a long lay-off.
After getting back to full fitness, Meeuws was cut by the club, which was under financial pressure as finances tightened in United Kingdom rugby.
But he was not idle for long as Otago soon got in touch with an offer of a six-week contract to lend a hand with veteran prop Keith Cameron out injured.
Those six weeks have grown into a whole season, with his 50th match for the province due to be brought up this afternoon against Tasman.
"Otago rugby has a special place for me. Initially, I just came back here for six weeks and I never thought I would get close to getting 50 games," he said.
"But it became clear about four weeks ago that I could get there and it was something to aim for. So I've been training really hard and trying to put my hand up to get in the side."
Meeuws (35), who said his Achilles was now fine, had always wanted to come back to Otago but thought that would be after he finished playing.
He started out in Auckland, playing three games for the blue and whites, before shifting south and making his debut for Otago against Bay of Plenty in Dunedin in August 1997.
He stayed in the South until 2002, before moving back to Auckland, where he played until 2004, when he moved offshore to first France and then Wales.
This year had been fun, he said, in a competition where there were no easy games and anyone could beat anyone.
"A lot of things have changed, but in saying that, rugby is still rugby. It's still about guys going out and running around a paddock. They change the rules every year but you adapt quickly to all the changes and get out there and try your best."
Meeuws has lost count of the number of trainings he has attended but said as long as they were interesting he never tired of them.
As for highlights, he said the 1998 national provincial championship final stood out, played in front of a packed Carisbrook, alongside fellow All Black front-rowers Carl Hoeft and Anton Oliver.
"But that team was just an average team who just wanted to play good footy. We trained hard and played hard. But we weren't a team of superstars but guys who worked hard and really played for each other."
He said Otago was now in the process of rebuilding, and as long as the team stayed together, then the success of previous years could be repeated.
Meeuws has not had a lot of time to think about today's game as the container with all his furniture from Wales arrived in Dunedin on Thursday.
He is already planning for life after rugby, having started a building apprenticeship with Amalgamated Builders.
When he has had time, he has been working on the three-storey extension on the top of Otago House.
But that did not mean retirement beckoned at the end of the year.
"I'm still enjoying it and who knows what next year will bring. If the season comes around next year and I feel fit, then I might play. I'll never rule it out."
Meeuws will start at tighthead today, and Otago will want to mark his 50th game with a sound performance.
Otago v Tasman
Carisbrook, today, 5.30pm
TAB odds: Otago $1.50, Tasman $2.50
Referee: Jonathon White (Auckland)
Otago: Ben Smith, Karne Hesketh, Aaron Bancroft, Charlie Hore, Andrew Parata, Glenn Dickson, Sean Romans, Paul Grant, Alando Soakai (captain), Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Hayden Triggs, Kees Meeuws, Peter Mirrielees, Ben Nolan.
Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Sam Hibbard, Hoani Matenga, Eben Joubert, James Kenny, Michael Witt, Luke Herden.
Tasman: Robbie Malneek, Lucky Mulipola, Andrew Goodman (captain), Sione Holani, Afeleki Pelenise, James Marshall, Shaun Begg, Mark Bright, Jonathan Poff, Glen Gregory, Joe Wheeler, Alex Ainley, Tristan Moran, Daniel Perrin, Sakaria Taulafo.
Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Hamish Cochrane, Daniel Crichton, Zane Winslade, Ammon Matuauto, Kade Poki, Blair Cook.
Kees Meeuws
Power prop
Age: 35
Otago: 49 games
Highlanders: 47
Blues: 33
Auckland: 19
All Blacks: 42 tests
Also played for Castres and Agen in France and Llanelli Scarlets in Wales.
