Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
32 - 24
FT
International

British & Irish Lions star to retire at end of season

By PA
(Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Saracens winger Sean Maitland has announced his retirement.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 35-year-old is looking to win a fourth Premiership title before hanging up his boots at the end of the season.

Maitland joined Saracens from London Irish in 2016 and has also won two European Cups during his 147 appearances for the club.

Video Spacer

Maro Itoje | All Access | Episode 2 – What is it like playing for Saracens rugby club?

Current Time 0:00
Duration 6:18
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 6:18
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Maro Itoje | All Access | Episode 2 – What is it like playing for Saracens rugby club?

    Jim Hamilton sits down with Vitality ambassador and former teammate Maro Itoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
    The Saracens lock told us all about Saracens rugby club and the defining effect it has had on his rugby career.

    The former New Zealand Under-20 international joined Glasgow in 2012 and won the first of 53 Scotland caps the following year. He played at two Rugby World Cups and also won British and Irish Lions recognition.

    Maitland said: “Saracens is such a special place and I cannot thank everyone enough. It is a place I will always treasure and I can’t wait to watch as a fan for years to come.

    “Thanks to everyone who has contributed to making my career so enjoyable from start to finish.”

    Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall added: “We feel very fortunate to have shared the last eight years with Sean. He has been an outstanding competitor on the field and a brilliant team mate off it.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Sean is loyal, humble, fun and in his own quiet way has played a key role in driving the values we hold dear. He is respected by everyone and will be greatly missed by us all.

    “We would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution to the club and wish him, Nava, Lucy, Lilly and Louis all the best for the future.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

    Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

    Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

    Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

    England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

    Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    Trending on RugbyPass

    1

    USA make decision on Ilona Maher as they name player pool

    2

    Montpellier set to lose Test star to open door for All Blacks hopeful

    3

    English-qualified Amena Caqusau agrees Premiership switch from Glasgow

    4

    Andy Farrell drafts 75-man Lions squad with blunt message to players

    5

    Andy Farrell confirms Lions coaching team

    6

    Marcus Smith teams up with MLR's Miami Sharks in USA

    7

    Departing Quins boss Billy Millard in talks over huge Test job

    8

    Famous club back in National Leagues after 5th promotion in 7 seasons

    Comments

    1 Comment
    T
    Tom 312 days ago

    Just FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    LONG READ

    ‘You feel the interest, that motivates you too’: Guido Petti wooed by Quins' personal touch

    The Pumas lock will be living in Twickenham and playing big games there later this year, but wants to leave Bordeaux on a high.

    LONG READ

    Morgane Bourgeois’ Women's Six Nations notebook: The first edition

    France full-back Morgane Bourgeois shares with RugbyPass an inside look at the team's journey through the 2025 Women’s Six Nations.

    LONG READ

    Andy Farrell is draining Ireland’s resources to benefit the Lions

    Coaching the Lions is the ultimate honour, but Ireland's recent form has made them a victim of their own success

    Comments on RugbyPass

    J
    J Marc 13 minutes ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Hum, maybe after answering every day to the same questions, players say what the journo wish to hear….

    84 Go to comments
    R
    Rodrigo N 43 minutes ago
    Santiago Mare: 'We are the team that everybody wants to beat'

    Vamos Toto, vamos Pumas!!!!

    1 Go to comments
    G
    GP 2 hours ago
    Ioane Moananu didn't join the Crusaders 'to wait around'

    I will. I have heard a few people mention him.

    5 Go to comments
    A
    Andrew Nichols 3 hours ago
    Aaron Smith and ‘three or four other All Blacks’ keen to play for AUNZ XV

    Folau..Genia..Quade C and now Smith…any more pensioners want to front up?

    1 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Oh please!!!! Really????? So with 5mil people how do you expect NZR to suddenly have a club game that makes money? NZR does the best with its reality. And quite frankly its better than every other team in history.

    Look at all the French club resourses, English club money, Irish club money… Whats it done for their Test sides? Sweet FA. Money doesnt buy wins unless its heading into Wayne Barnes offshore bank account.

    84 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    No doubt we will find out when we have a world club championship. I wonder if it will ever be held in NZ?

    So all those superior comps in the NH and they cant win world cups? What can you possibably base your strength of comp on? I base it on results and so far almost every world cup has been won by SR players

    84 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Geez mate if losing means you “didnt bother to look” at the opposition then Ireland didnt “Look” at the opposition in any world cup every. Nor France, Wales, Scotland,etc. At least England can say they “Looked” at the opposition at 1 WC I suppose.

    84 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Our 10s were all injured in that 2007 match. Who was going to take the drop goal? You seem obsessed with 2007. I prefer 1987 and 2011 when we beat France in the final to win world cups. Where was the french drop goal in 2011? Was that arrogance? Did they believe they could outscore NZ? was that arrogance or ignorance? You can bag out NZ all you want over 2007 but we can throw the exact same thing back at France over 2011 where they couldnt win. NZ beat them twice in that tournament.

    84 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    There was no disrespect because they beat us. Youre making that up. There was a real determination to beat you at the WC. We respected Ireland rugby so much we had a specific plan to beat you at the 1/4 final. As soon as the draw was announced I was very keen to see us play you in that match. Your team showed nothing but disrespect with crass comments, arrogant post SA loss comments and critique of some of our best players. You earned our retaliation. That will forever be on you. Now that match was won by 4 points from memory but it was the best 4 point win Ive ever experienced. There is nothing better than beating the class clown/Bully, and particularly at a major game like a WC 1/4 final.

    No doubt you have special memories of Ireland wins and no doubt some of those will be wins against NZ, well this is, so far, my best memory against Ireland and even eclipsed the game where we scored after the siren and your boys charged the conversion way before it was taken. The miss would have meant your first win v NZ but Cruden slotted the second conversion to win the game.

    84 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Yep. Ireland got cocky and then got outcoached. Real pretty to watch after the arrogance they showed and after the BS they put out. Calling Cane a “Sh&T Richie” doesnt get more disrespectful and then YES they claimed they would see SA in the final. Etzebet was forced to retract and back away from his statement publicly. Never privately tho.

    Leaving Sexton on when he could hardly walk was funny. Coach didnt back his team. Just a couple of stars. Fell at the same hurdle as every other world cup. Now they are past their window and that makes me laugh because of the way their players and fans acted post winning in NZ.

    84 Go to comments
    R
    Rugby 101 - Ed Pye 4 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    Fair points JW - I just think the commercial value of a draft trumps all of the potential issues. Rugby is very slow when it comes to marketing and that is hurting it financially.

    33 Go to comments
    J
    JW 4 hours ago
    Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

    Lawrence had to be growing old on him. He’s like Rieko or Jordie, seems like he has all the potential to play well at that level.

    117 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 4 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Yes true but it wont be those players playing a semi or a final at the WC so what they learn is redundant I suppose. I just think their are many ways to prepare for test rugby and then there are differences in preparing for a 6 week world cup campaign. Most nations do this prep by touring together. France avoids their top guys touring together for any longer than a night away in England or Ireland etc.

    Yep we have a small pool in NZ so need to develop our players. I note Aus is sending more B teams away these days too.

    84 Go to comments
    J
    JW 4 hours ago
    Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

    Huh? Ali is nothing like a pom, where’d that come from? Just half the story?

    117 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Losing 3 finals eh. Only team to do that? Thats because by the time they get to the finals they are argueing with themselves or their coaches. They dont know how to tour together because they DONT tour together. The protected get protected until they get to semi finals or finals then lose it. Ill never forget 2011 when they were even talking about locking the coach out of the dressing room. Perhaps they may have won if they wernt constantly in-fighting.

    Constantly made play against the wind? Maybe the “Wind” is of their own making!

    84 Go to comments
    J
    JW 5 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    Again, you’re obviously and factually wrong.


    The example of how is even the subject of this article CO LOL!

    Commentaries claiming players from this team need to be ignored by the Allblacks

    No. The commentary you are critizing is exactly the same as your own. That a play should choose their country and stick with it. Not that criticizing your own view would make any less sense than any of the other points you’ve tried raising here!


    Also, you can remove the last sentence of your OP anytime now. It’s making us supporters look bad.

    33 Go to comments
    H
    Head high tackle 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    I agree. Nothing should have been said and it would have created 6mths less worth of BS. France still didnt win a world cup then tho.

    84 Go to comments
    J
    JW 5 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    I’m not saying drafting is not a good idea when possible, I’m just saying there are a lot of different dynamics in play that make a draft impossible in places.


    Not referring to law international, just the way sports are made up. For instances, the draft works in the NFL (and all american sports) because of the financial incentive. If a sport can’t provide that, then it’s participants are not going to opt in.

    33 Go to comments
    E
    EllenMoody 6 hours ago
    Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

    A Crypto Theft Victim's Journey: How Morphohack Cyber Service Restored My Assets

    By: Ellen Moody, Crypto Investor and Advocate

    I was left reeling after discovering that my digital wallet had been compromised, resulting in the loss of 39.5 Ethereum. This devastating experience left me desperate for a solution. I reached out to Morphohack Cyber Service. Their team responded with exceptional professionalism and expertise, promptly launching a comprehensive analysis of the blockchain network to track the stolen funds.

    Their specialists employed cutting-edge blockchain analytics tools to follow the digital footprint, providing detailed explanations of their methods. It was evident that they possessed a profound understanding of hacker strategies and vulnerabilities. Despite encountering obstacles, they persevered, meticulously tracking the ETH as it navigated various wallets and tumblers.

    Throughout the process, Morphohack Cyber Service maintained seamless communication, providing regular updates on the case. Ultimately, their efforts culminated in the successful recovery of 37 ETH, seized from the wallets holding my stolen assets.

    I’m profoundly grateful for Morphohack Cyber Service expertise and genuine commitment to helping victims of crypto theft. Their specialized knowledge of blockchain forensics is unmatched. I highly recommend their services to anyone facing a similar situation. In the complex world of crypto, they are truly a trusted ally.

    Need Help Recovering Stolen Crypto? Contact Morphohack Cyber Service:

    Email: Morphohack@cyberservices.com

    Info@morphohackcyber.com

    Morphohackcyber.com

    1 Go to comments
    J
    JW 6 hours ago
    Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

    That’s not how it works.


    When you sign a SR contract you have to declare for New Zealand/ABs. Any Kiwi who chooses to represent a heritage nation falls under the quota amount.


    Yeah the important thing is for WR to create a sustainable future for such nations, NZ will not always be able to or want to do it. Obviously a base in Apia (suspect more feasible than Tonga) and something higher profile like this Lions series tour match they’ve involved in. I have no problem with Auckland being a poly destination if the community is getting onboard to enable it (which hopefully after 3 years we are seeing).

    33 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING Montpellier set to lose Test star to open door for All Blacks hopeful Montpellier set to lose Test star to open door for All Blacks hopeful
    Search