'First week back on the farm complete': Ex-Scotland midfielder Alex Dunbar has confirmed his retirement

Former Scotland midfielder Alex Dunbar has confirmed his retirement from playing, the 31-year-old taking to Instagram to explain it is all over 30 months after he was last capped for his country against Argentina at Murrayfield. 

Having spent most of his club career at Glasgow Warriors where he was a 2015 PRO12 title winner, 31-cap Scotland centre Dunbar moved to Brive in France in 2019 having had a short loan stint south of the border at Newcastle after falling out of favour under Dave Rennie. “The non-selection thing was the hardest to take because when I did play, I didn’t think I played badly,” Dunbar told RugbyPass at the time.

It emerged in May last year that he was being released by Brive after just a single season and after waiting out the lockdown with an ankle injury, he has announced he is now finished with the game as a player and is working on the family farm near Lockerbie.  

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Writing on social media he said: “First week back on the farm complete. Feel extremely grateful to have had such an amazing journey with my rugby career. As a teenager growing up on the farm and playing rugby for fun I’d never have imagined what it would lead to. 

“I’ve been honoured to represent my country, play with and learn from legends of the game, travel to places I’d never of had the opportunity to before and most importantly make friendships that will last a lifetime. 

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A post shared by Alex Dunbar (@alex_dunbar23)

“Unfortunately my career has had to come to an end sooner than hoped due to injury but I’m happy and ready to move onto the next chapter of life with my family. Time to hang up the boots and pull on the wellies!”

The Scottish Rugby Union have been among the well-wishers who have reacted to Dunbar’s news, tweeting: “Congratulations on a fantastic career and all the very best for the future, Alex Dunbar. Enjoy your retirement.”

'I think this is an incredibly brave decision by Kyle'

The former Bath, Wasps and Leicester Tigers centre is walking away from rugby, be it league or union ? https://t.co/aP44kAKBT7

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 17, 2021