'Makes sense to call it a day' - Jonathan Joseph explains retirement call

Former England centre Jonathan Joseph has confirmed his retirement from professional rugby over the weekend.

The 34-year-old most recently represented Pro D2 side Biarritz, drawing a line under a career that spanned more than a decade at the top level after failing to recover from an injury picked in December 2024.

The decision comes after nearly a year on the sidelines.

“I picked up quite a big injury in December, a year ago, that I haven’t managed to fully recover from. I’ve seen many specialists, surgeons and unfortunately, I’m still unable to run, so it makes sense to call it a day,” Joseph said in a video on social media.

‘JJ’ won 54 Test caps for England between 2012 and 2020 and scored 17 tries. He featured at two Rugby World Cups, including the 2019 final in Yokohama, where he came off the bench in England’s defeat to South Africa.

Joseph, a highly talented junior tennis player during his school days at Millfield, ultimately chose rugby — a decision that proved England’s gain.

The 6ft, 95kg centre was also part of Eddie Jones’ Six Nations-winning squad in 2016. He scored a hat-trick against Scotland in the 2017 Championship, although injuries meant that his time in an England starter was somewhat irregular between 2018 and 2020.

Joseph made his Premiership breakthrough in 2010–11 after coming through the London Irish academy, and was shortlisted for the Discovery of the Season award the following year.

He played 44 times for the Exiles before moving to Bath in 2013.

At the West Country club he established himself as one of the Premiership’s most dangerous midfielders and his efforts helped the club to the 2015 Premiership final.

A fan favourite at The Rec, his form that season earned him the Rugby Players’ Association Players’ Player of the Year and England Player of the Year awards.

Arguably his biggest honour came in 2017 when he toured with the British & Irish Lions. He scored a try against the Highlanders, although he did not feature in the Test series against New Zealand.

He lives in Bath with his wife and children.

His younger brother Will made his England debut in 2022 and is currently at Gloucester.