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Candid Clerc says it's "scary" as former France wing closes in on retirement

By Harry West
Vincent Clerc, in action for France in 2012

Former France wing Vincent Clerc has announced he will retire at the end of the season with Toulon.

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Clerc enjoyed an 11-year international career with Les Bleus between 2002 and 2013 and was part of three Six Nations winning sides during that period.

He was part of the squad that reached the last four of the 2007 World Cup, and starred at the finals four years later, scoring six tries before France finished as runners-up to New Zealand.

A three-time European champion with Toulouse, Clerc moved to Toulon ahead of last season but revealed on Tuesday that 2017-18 would be his final campaign as a professional.

Also winner of the Top 14 on three occasions with his former club, Clerc is targeting one more domestic title with Toulon to create the fairytale ending to his career.

 

“Here it is, I decided to put an end to my career at the end of the season,” the 36-year-old said in a YouTube video posted via his Twitter account.

“Almost one year ago, I thought everything was over when I got an Achilles injury, I thought about stopping everything, but deep down I had a feeling that history wasn’t finished, that I still had a chapter left to write.

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“And I thought, I worked every day, finally, slowly, with patience and perseverance, I had the chance to do one more season at this level.

“It’s true that I’m going to miss a lot of things: friends, adrenaline, competition, the fans, that’s for sure. What I’ll remember is that for years I lived a childhood dream.

“I was incredibly well surrounded, helped, and with every step of this adventure I realise that it’s the last weeks, the last matches, the last finals.

“It’s scary but it motivates me: I realise that I have the same excitement that I’m ready, that I want to go and get one more title.

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“Nothing is altered and I still have the same motivation and if I could go get a last trophy, because it’s definitely among my best souvenirs and emotions, to go and get a last shield before I leave would be the greatest way to put an end to my career.”

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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T
Trevor 3 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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