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11 players you may not have realised are retiring
By Ian Cameron
When you’re a big name in rugby, you’re retirement will make the headlines. The Freddy Michalaks, Conrad Smiths and Isa Necewas of this world rightly deserve the plaudits bestowed upon them when they called time on their careers.
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However for every big name there are many ‘biggish names’, ‘club servants’, squad players, forgotten internationals; and even some player who simply continued playing to the point where we’ve all forgotten how good they once were.
While their retirements will be strongly felt fans of their respective clubs and of course, their family and friends, the wider rugby community might be forgiven for completely missing the fact that they are hanging up their boots.
Continue reading below…
This is a list of those players.
Alasdair Strokosch
Strokosch finishes his career in France this season, and you’ll be minded that the former Edinburgh and Gloucester forward won 47 caps for Scotland, his last coming in 2015.
Julien Pierre
Pau’s Julien Pierre was in and out of the French pack for a number of years, playing for Clermont, La Rochelle and Bourgoin on the way to 27 French caps.
Lifeimi Mafi
Lifeimi Mafi was an ever-present with Munster where he earned 144 caps before decamping to France. He retires after six years at Perpignan.
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Scott Lawson
After a career which has brought more than a century of appearances for Newcastle Falcons and 47 international caps for Scotland, hooker Scott Lawson will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current season.
Jocelino Suta
Suta earned six caps for France but is probably more famous for his 233 appearances for Toulon over the space of a decade at the club.
Florian Fritz
Tough as nails Toulouse centre Florian Fritz hangs up his boots this season. He made a remarkable 379 appearances for the club and 34 for France.
Grégory Lamboley
While he finished his career at La Rochelle the backrow will be remembered for his 321 Toulouse caps and 14 French caps.
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Ally Hogg
Hogg has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current season after a career which has included 48 Scotland caps and 175 appearances for Newcastle Falcons.
David Seymour
Probably unlucky not to have won any England XVs caps, the backrow made 196 appearances for the Sharks, scoring 19 tries. A former England Under-21 international, he also won a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens tournament in Melbourne as part of England’s squad.
Ryan Grant
A British and Irish Lions, Grant is retiring from rugby at the age of just 32 which is relatively middleaged for a prop. Grant joined Glasgow on a short-term deal but didn’t see much game time due to injury and retires with 25 Scotland caps.
Brian Mujati
The former Springbok and Northampton Saints stalwart hung up his boots this season after battling to regain his fitness while at the Ospreys in the Pro14. Famous for vlogging, his love of homebrewing and bodybuilding – Mujati revealed his official retirement during a youtube video after stints at Racing 92. Sale Sharks and latterly the Ospreys. One of Europe’s most formidable scrummagers on his day.
