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Ex-All Blacks star announces shock retirement due to injury
Former All Blacks star Liam Squire has announced his shock retirement from professional rugby due to a long-standing knee injury.
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Squire will step away from rugby with immediate effect after being advised to do so by medical professionals as a result of a persistent knee injury.
“This isn’t the post I thought I would be doing so soon but as some of you are aware I have been battling with a knee injury which I’ve had surgery on,” he wrote on Instagram.
“After 6-7 months full rest to see if it will heal and speaking to my surgeon and medial team I have been advised for my best long term interest to retire from all rugby immediately.
“As disappointing and frustrating as This (sic) is, my long term wellbeing has to come first.”
Squire’s announcement comes midway through his two-year deal with the Highlanders after rejoining the Dunedin-based Super Rugby franchise this year following a season-long spell with the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan.
Prior to his departure from the Highlanders at the end of the 2019 season, Squire had struggled with a hip injury that limited his output in Super Rugby.
As he exclusively told RugbyPass earlier this year, his injury problems, compounded by the public scrutiny of being an All Black and a professional rugby player in New Zealand, impacted his mental health.
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Those factors contributed in his decision to step away from the All Blacks squad and voluntarily miss out on the 2019 World Cup before relocating to Japan.
During his time abroad, Squire picked up a knee injury, which continued to plague him even upon his return to New Zealand last year prior to his arrival back at the Highlanders.
The global Covid-19 lockdown allowed the 30-year-old to rehabilitate and properly address his knee and hip problems, but he was again struck down by a knee injury after just two appearances in this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Despite harbouring an ambition to return to the All Blacks, Squire never took to the field for the Highlanders again, but the explosive loose forward paid tribute to both teams, as well as the Tasman Mako, for the influence they have had on his career.
A former All Black has dismissed Sir Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford’s comments that All Blacks captain Sam Cane is “one injury away from retirement from rugby”. #AllBlacks https://t.co/utXlWzVuRG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 12, 2021
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“I want to thank everyone that has supported me throughout the years especially the @highlandersteam and @tasmanmako for the chance to wear their jerseys,” he wrote.
“These are two teams I hold close to my heart and I’ve always loved going to battle with them. Also the chance to represent my country and wear the @allblacks jersey is something I will forever cherish.
“Thank you to my family and friends for your unconditional support through the good and bad. I couldn’t have achieved what I have without you all. Also the coaches ,management staff and fans I have met through this journey thank you!
“I am excited for the next chapter in my life and stepping away from rugby. Thank you.”
After debuting for the All Blacks against Wales in Dunedin in 2016, Squire accrued 23 test caps in an international career that came to an end against Ireland in Dublin two years later.
He also made 35 appearances for the Highlanders between 2016 and 2021, 13 appearances for the Chiefs in 2015, three appearances for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in 2020, and one appearance for the Maori All Blacks in 2013.
At provincial level, Squire played 47 times for Tasman between 2011 and 2019 and won a national title with the Mako two years ago.
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Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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.
54 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.
6 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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.
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