England and Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season.
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The 38-year-old has won 118 caps for England and featured on two British and Irish Lions tours. He has also made over 340 appearances for Leicester, the club he joined as a teenager.
Cole was a key figure in England’s front row for more than a decade, renowned for his durability and scrummaging strength. He helped the Tigers to multiple Premiership titles and was part of the England squad that reached the Rugby World Cup final in 2019.
Speaking about his decision to retire, Cole said: “It has not been an easy decision at all. I have been to-ing and fro-ing; however, I think this is the best time for me to finish playing.”
“I believe, with Ben Youngs, Julián Montoya and others that are in and around my age, ending their time at the club at the end of the season, plus the new chapter next season with Geoff Parling coming in as Head Coach, it’s time for the club to kick-on and the right time for me to go.
“This is what I have done and what I have known every day for the past twenty years and so, the easy thing would have been to sign for a year and keep playing, but it’s the right thing to do. It is a really tough decision to make but I know it’s the right one.
“As you get older, physically, it’s definitely harder to carry on and, looking around the changing room, I am ten years older than most of the guys in there with me and that’s challenging as well. I don’t want to be the old guy, just sat around and hanging on to something for too long.”
Looking ahead, Cole added: “This place means a lot to me. I have made some great memories with some great people at Leicester Tigers.”
“Overall, I have loved my career but haven’t loved every minute, which has allowed me to appreciate the good times even more. However, when I do look back on it properly at the end, I know I won’t want to change anything about it.
“Most important to me, today when I announce it, is that it’s clear it is not over yet. This is about finishing my career at the end of our season. There is still hopefully a few more games left for me to play this season.”
