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Glasgow's Ruaridh Jackson announces retirement plans ahead of new career in drinks industry

By Online Editors
(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Ruaridh Jackson has announced that he will retire from rugby union at the end of the 2019/20 season, bringing the curtain down on a 14-year-career. The Glasgow Warriors player has made 163 appearances over two spells with the club, making his Glasgow Warriors debut against GRAN Parma back in 2006.

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He returned to the club in the summer of 2017 following stints at English Premiership sides Wasps and Harlequins, becoming a key component of Dave Rennie’s squad during his first season at the helm.

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Queensland Rugby Union CEO David Hanham and Rugby Australia Director of Rugby Scott Johnson

Queensland CEO David Hanham and Rugby Australia Director of Rugby Scott Johnson talks about the three players who were stood down in a pay dispute

Equally comfortable at fly-half and full-back, Jackson’s experience and versatility made an instant impression upon his return as his form saw him voted as the club’s Players Player of the Season at the end of his first season back with the Warriors.

His tally of 499 points makes him one of the sharpest shooters in club history, with the former Robert Gordon’s College pupil sitting fifth in the club’s all-time points charts.

The 32-year-old won 33 caps for Scotland, and had the distinction of representing Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, helping Scotland 7s to a sixth-place finish on Australia’s Gold Coast.

He was last capped against Canada in June 2018.

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Jackson announced his retirement with a post on Instagram.

“It is not the fairytale ending I may have dreamt about, but I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been part of my 14-year (career),” he said.

“I have achieved more than I could ever have dreamed of, but it is now time to embrace a new challenge.

“I have been so fortunate to live out my childhood dream of playing rugby not just professionally but for my country.

“It has been a journey that has allowed me to travel the world, make some incredible friends and without doubt has given me some of the happiest days of my life.

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“I have played at some amazing clubs, Wasps, Harlequins and of course two stints at Glasgow Warriors, which will always hold a special place in my heart.

“The supporters at all these clubs have been immense and will be one of the things I will miss most.”

He also confirmed that he hopes to move into a new career in the drinks industry.

“Throughout my playing career I have learnt a lot about how to improve my performance and the importance to me of teamwork, accountability, communication and thriving under pressure.

“Within team culture there is an emphasis placed on the value of relationships and this, along with hard work will always be the foundation of how I move forward as well as understanding that it’s important to be true to myself every single day.

As I look towards a potential new career in the drinks industry, building on my experiences over the last few years co-founding Garden Shed Drinks, I will take all these learnings with me.

“It has been one hell of a ride.”

View this post on Instagram

It is not the fairytale ending I may have dreamt about, but I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been part of my 14-year. I have achieved more than I could ever have dreamed of, but it is now time to embrace a new challenge. I have been so fortunate to live out my childhood dream of playing rugby not just professionally but for my country. It has been a journey that has allowed me to travel the world, make some incredible friends and without doubt has given me some of the happiest days of my life. I have played at some amazing clubs, Wasps, Harlequins and of course two stints at Glasgow Warriors, which will always hold a special place in my heart. The supporters at all these clubs have been immense and will be one of the things I will miss most. There are many people that have helped me along the way, from school and mini rugby coaches, Sean Lineen helping me sign my first pro contract, the other coaches, medical teams, back room staff that I have worked with throughout the years. The team at Red Sky Management that have been through it all with me, Rowen and Rhona you have been a major part in shaping my career on and off the field. My family who have been without doubt my biggest and best supporters. Your support has meant everything. My wife, Kirstin; I could not have shared it all with a better sidekick, along with my family you have been my biggest source of strength and laughs throughout the dark times and the good! Throughout my playing career I have learnt a lot about how to improve my performance and the importance to me of teamwork, accountability, communication and thriving under pressure. Within team culture there is an emphasis placed on the value of relationships and this, along with hard work will always be the foundation of how I move forward as well as understanding that it’s important to be true to myself every single day. As I look towards a potential new career in the drinks industry, building on my experiences over the last few years co-founding Garden Shed Drinks, I will take all these learnings with me. It has been one hell of a ride. Cheers (with a Garden Shed Gin in hand of course!) Jacko

A post shared by Ruaridh Jackson (@ruaridh88) on

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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