11 rugby household names who may have unwittingly played their final games
The current coronavirus pandemic has decimated rugby and other sports competitions across the world, leaving many suspended, postponed or even cancelled.
In rugby, some leagues across the world have not yet cancelled, and are discussing possible truncated seasons, while others have packed it in already.
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One consequence of leagues being potentially terminated is that it will finish the careers of some players, robbing them of the chance of playing their final match. It may be insignificant in the broad scheme of things, but it is nonetheless disappointing from a rugby perspective.
So here are some of the players who may have played their final game of professional rugby:
FRANCOIS LOUW
Springboks flanker Francois Louw announced his retirement from Test rugby shortly after the Rugby World Cup triumph, but only announced in March his complete retirement from the game at the end of the season. Bath have not played a game since the 34-year-old broke the news, but at least he will have fond memories of his final season should he not get a chance to run out for Bath again.
BEN FRANKS
The two-time RWC winning prop Ben Franks announced his retirement in February after joining Northampton Saints in 2018. He played in the Saints’ final match before the suspension, coming off the bench in a win over Worcester Warriors in the beginning of March, which is something of a damp squib of a final match.
JAMES HOOK
Former Wales utility back James Hook announced in January that he would retire from rugby at the end of the season, but has now been forced to rearrange his testimonial given the circumstances. For one of the best Welsh players of his generation, many will hope that his career will not go out with a whimper, and he will have a chance to play in front of the Ospreys fans again.
KIERAN READ
Nothing formal has been made by the former All Blacks captain, and he has a contract in Japan with Toyota Verblitz until 2021, but he has said that he does not know what the future holds for him.
The Top League season in Japan has already been cancelled for 2020, and the 128-cap All Black has been coy on whether he will be there next season, accepting that his professional career could be over.
MATT GITEAU
Former Wallaby Matt Giteau is in a similar position to Read, and has already admitted that it is “hard to imagine” he may have played his last game for Suntory Sungoliath, and in turn the last game of his professional career.
The 37-year-old has had a long and distinguished career, amassing 103 caps, but retirement is an increasing possibility for a player that seemed to be eternal.
Hard to imagine that I may have played my last game in Japan for @sungoliath because of #coronavirus .. Sad situation but the right choice has been made as health & safety must always come first 🙏🏼😢
🦍💛🖤
— Matt Giteau 🇦🇺 (@giteau_rugby) March 23, 2020
DAN CARTER
Having recently made his return to rugby in January after neck surgery in 2019, the great Dan Carter was set to complete his second and final season with Top League champions, the Kobelco Steelers. Now at the age of 38, Carter will want to make up for lost time after his injury, but he is without a club ahead of next year, and has not confirmed whether he will continue playing or not.
DAVID POCOCK
Like Carter, David Pocock is another player that has not given any details about his future, and at the age of 31, he may still have more miles in the clock. However, this was the final season of his contract with the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan, and given the stress his body has been put under throughout his career, no one would blame the flanker for hanging up his boots early.
SERGIO PARISSE
The rugby world dreams that Italian legend Sergio Parisse will be granted his 143rd and final cap at some point. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old was deprived of his swansong against the All Blacks at the RWC because of Typhoon Hagibis.
He was expected to make a solitary appearance this Six Nations against England in Rome on the final day of the Championship, but that has been postponed once again. No player deserves more of a send-off in Test rugby, but it is unclear if the No.8 will get that chance.
CHRIS ROBSHAW
While Chris Robshaw will still be playing rugby next season, and he would have accepted in the summer of 2019 that his England career was over, he may not get the farewell he and all Harlequins fans would want. The flanker is set to join Rugby United New York at the end of the season, but after making over 250 appearances for the London club since his debut in 2005, and after captaining them to their greatest victories, he may not go out in a blaze of glory.
MA’A NONU
On the other side of the world, Major League Rugby in the United States was also cancelled last month. This was a season that saw a number of global stars join the league, one of which was two-time RWC winner Ma’a Nonu, who had joined San Diego Legion. The 37-year-old centre has been winding his career down for a couple of years now, but this one-year deal on the West Coast looked as though it could have been his final destination before retirement.
TENDAI MTAWARIRA
Springboks great Tendai Mtawarira finds himself in a very similar situation to Nonu after joining Old Glory DC following the RWC success. The Beast also signed a one-year deal, and now the 34-year-old’s career has been thrown into doubt despite the new season only being a matter of weeks old before it was abandoned.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments