"Oasis Style Returns" - Top 10 Unexpected Rugby Returns from Retired Players

Such an unexpected comeback got us thinking, about the times rugby players from the past dusted off their boots for one last ride out on the pitch. Always in keeping in touch with the current events of the mainstream media, we've compiled a top 10 list of the best examples of rugby stars coming out of retirement with some bizarre cases populating this group.

To further commemorate what many music fans thought would never happen, and before tickets to the hotly anticipated tour go on sale this weekend, here are our picks for the 10 most unexpected rugby returns from retirement.

One of the fastest players to ever wear the England shirt, Jason Robinson was beloved by the Twickenham faithful, who often saw the wing slide away to score throughout his decorated career. Best known by his speedster nickname 'Billy Whizz', Robinson spent the majority of his club days with Sale Sharks, whom he won the Premiership title with in the 2003/04 season.

Robinson first hung up the boots at the end of the 2006/07 season, but little by little the wing was tempted back for a return to the pitch. Robinson spent a couple of seasons away from the changing rooms, before his eventual season long comeback with Lancashire club Fylde. The unexpected return saw Robinson apart of Fylde's 2010/11 National League 2 season. It was a surprising move for the 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, who's try in the final against the Wallabies will live forever in the hearts of England fans.

2. Jonah Lomu - Cardiff Blues

The iconic wing who some might say is the greatest to ever play the game, Jonah Lomu's career took an unexpected turn in the early 2000s. Having dominated the Test match stage upon the All Blacks left wing, an assortment of health issues caused the legend to hang up his boots and take a three year hiatus from professional rugby in 2002. The requirement for a kidney transplant made many to believe Lomu had called time on his career, yet the big man delighted the rugby world with his return three years later.

After an initial comeback with North Harbour in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship, the late great legend would relocate half the world away, and arrived in Wales ahead of the 2005/06 season. Lomu made his debut for Cardiff Blues against Calvisano in the Heineken Cup, with the star attraction taking centre stage in the Arms Park in four fixtures. Lomu would then take an additional year out to manage his health issues with his final act seeing him play in seven matches for french club Marseille Vitrolles in the 2009/10 season.

3. Joe Simpson - Old Priorians

Former England scrum half Joe Simpson began to wear the colours of many clubs towards the end of his playing career, with the latest coming in the form of seventh tier side Old Priorian RFC. The former Great Britian sevens star got the Sunday morning call to run out for Old Priorian 2nd XV, and in Gallagher-esque fashion, Simpson was reunited with his brother Michael for one last run. This was as part of an 'International XV' that played against the Ealing Trailfinders Academy in February 2024.

Simpson's professional career commenced in 2006, where he is best remembered for his staggering 17 seasons with Wasps. The halfback racked up an impressive 230 appearances for the club, spanning the London and Coventry eras of Wasps. The club-trotting began in 2019, as Simpson enjoyed a short stint with Gloucester, before being called in as injury cover for Saracens scrum half Ivan van Zyl. Simpson would then move up to the North West for a six month run with Sale Sharks, after which he officially retired from the professional game.

The former England international that has since become married with children into the British Royal Family, Mike Tindall is also keeping his hand in with the occasional appearence on the pitch post-retirement. A spinner of many plates, given his duties with the Good, Bad and the Rugby podcast, as well as the occasional cameo on a reality TV show, Tindall still found time to play for his local club Minchinhampton, out in the Cotswolds.

The last documented appearence from the heroic Gloucester centre came three years after his on field retirement, when 'Tinds' officially hung up his boots at the end of the 2013/14 season. Tindall swapped the iconic Gloucester cherry and white for the lesser well known green and white stripes of his neighborhood's grass roots club, which made quite the back-page splash in the local Gloucestershire and Wiltshire papers.

The rugby landscape thought that they had seen the end of Ben Smith's career, after the former All Black announced his retirement in December 2021. However, the masterplan was hatched by Japan Rugby league One club Kobelco Kobe Steelers, who were able to tempt the 84-capped kiwi over to the Far East in time for the 2022/23 season. The fullback made a total of eight appearances for the club, before doubling-down on his retirement and taking up a role amongst the Highlanders coaching staff back home in Otago.

Smith enjoyed a decorated career in New Zealand's iconic black jersey, and is widely regarded amongst the best fullbacks to ever lace up a pair of All Black boots. The 2015 Rugby World Cup winner cast no shadow when he skipped past his opponents, as he would often leave a trail of embarrassed defenders scrambling back to their feet. Smith initially arrived back at the Highlanders as an off-field 'advisor', but has since levelled up his role to oversee the back-three ahead of the 2023 Super Rugby season.

One of the best tales of a retired player overcoming the odds for a return, 1995 Rugby World Cup winner Os du Randt proved that even the most severe injuries couldn't break a legend's spirit. The prop initially ended his career in 2000 at the age of 27, with a litany of injuries forcing him to step away from the pitch for three years. However, rugby's all-time greatest loose-heads simply don't go away, with Rassie Erasmus credited with bringing du Randt back to action in 2003.

Erasmus was du Randt's former Springbok's teammate, and was coaching the Free State Cheetahs at the time. The prop accepted the offer to play for the Cheetahs, and proved he still had plenty of gas in the tank to go let it out on the Test match stage. Big Os returned to the Boks for his 50th cap in 2004, where he won the Tri Nations competition and was named in the IRB 2004 Team of the Year for his efforts. Du Randt called an end to the supersonic return after the 2007 Rugby World Cup triumph, as the third most capped Springbok of all-time, with 80 caps.

The flying back-three talent achieved 71 Test caps for the Wallabies, throughout a club career that spanned the Reds, Waratahs and Western Force in Super Rugby. In 2013, Mitchell decided that it was time for a change, and said 'hello' (or bonjour) to Toulon. Mitchell was apart of the all-star squad that won a trio of consecutive European Cups, in a back-line alongside the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Bryan Habana and Ma'a Nonu.

However, as Mitchell approached the tail end of his career, he could no longer solider on through his injuries, which began to mount up after each week. Mitchell ended his playing days at the end of the 2016/17 Top 14 season, and was away from the pitch for three years before getting the call to head 'stateside'. Mitchell was approached by Rugby United New York in 2020, and spent the following season in the 'Big Apple', for a brief run in the MLR.

South Africa fans thought they had seen the end of Victor Matfield's career, when the Springboks were eliminated from the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The legendary lock applauded the sea of gold and green, before calling it a day following an exhibition run out with the Barbarians. However, the towering second row was unable to stay on the side-lines, and decided to keep the dream alive with a return ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season.

Matfield took up a spot upon the Bulls roster, and showcased that he still had plenty left to give against the South African, Australian and New Zealand club sides. However, the opportunity came knocking for a Springboks return after continued top performances, with the lock adding an unforeseen 17 caps to his tally. Matfield would couple this last ride with a run with Northampton Saints, before he retired in 2016 as the all-time most capped Springbok with 127 Test caps, a record that is soon to be surpassed by Eben Etzebeth.

The second highest points scorer in the history of the Premiership, Andy Goode's strike rate spoke for itself from the kicking tee. Goode's sharpshooting brought an abundance of success in the form of five Premiership titles, as he enjoyed stints at Leicester Tigers, Saracens and Sale Sharks, as well as turning out for Wasps, Worcester Warriors and Newcastle Falcons. It was his return to rugby that took place in the North East, with Newcastle bringing the 10 out of a short-lived retirement.

Goode decided to call time upon his playing days at the end of the 2014/15 season, with the plan of ending his playing days as a Wasp. However, Goode would not in fact fade away from the pitch, with the Falcons offering him a final season to enjoy the fame and keep the club in the Premiership. Goode succeeded at the mission objective, with his metronomic place kicking critical in Newcastle's survival in the 2016/15 season. London Irish were the club to go down, whilst Goode moved into a broadcast and journalism role post playing.

The certified Wales legend finished his playing career in 2015, after enjoying a three year run out in Japan with the Mitsubishi Dynaboars. Regarded amongst the finest wings that have ever donned the red jersey of Wales or in fact the British & Irish Lions, Williams ended his Test match career after the 2011 Rugby World Cup as his nation's top try scorer, with no better man able to surpass the strike rate of the 'Welsh wizard'.

Williams would not make a full-time return to the pitch, but did dust off the boots for some sporadic appearances for his beloved local club Amman United. You could only imagine what was going through the opposition's minds as Williams ran out in the Welsh National League 3 West B division, and the wing even managed a return to the Principality Stadium with Amman in a provincial cup final.