Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole will retire from rugby on the finish of the season, the membership confirmed on Tuesday.
Cole has performed 565 video games in his 19-year rugby profession — together with 118 England Take a look at caps, making him the second-most capped males’s participant — and he’ll add a minimum of yet one more on Saturday in a conflict in opposition to the Newcastle Falcons.
The Tigers are second in Premiership Rugby. The semifinals will happen on June 6-7, with the ultimate set for June 14 on the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham.
“It has not been a straightforward choice in any respect. I’ve been to-ing and fro-ing; nonetheless, I feel that is the very best time for me to complete enjoying,” Cole mentioned in an announcement.
“I consider, with Ben Youngs, Julián Montoya and others which are in and round my age, ending their time on the membership on the finish of the season, plus the brand new chapter subsequent season with Geoff Parling coming in as head coach, it is time for the membership to kick-on and the suitable time for me to go.
“That is what I’ve performed and what I’ve recognized every single day for the previous twenty years and so, the simple factor would have been to signal for a 12 months and preserve enjoying, however it’s the suitable factor to do. It’s a actually powerful choice to make however I do know it is the suitable one.
“As you become old, bodily, it is undoubtedly more durable to hold on and, trying across the altering room, I’m ten years older than many of the guys in there with me and that is difficult as effectively. I do not need to be the outdated man, simply sat round and hanging on to one thing for too lengthy.”
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