Sam Whitelock, probably the most capped participant in All Blacks historical past, will retire from skilled rugby on the finish of the season along with his membership Pau in France, the 35-year-old lock mentioned on Tuesday.
Whitelock has performed 153 Take a look at matches since his worldwide debut in 2010 and was a part of the All Blacks sides that received the World Cup in 2011 and 2015.
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“I’ve been having just a few conversations with my spouse Hannah and the children round what the long run seems like for us. And it’s time to complete the taking part in chapter of rugby,” Whitelock mentioned in an announcement shared by New Zealand Rugby.
“It’s not a call that we now have come to evenly, nevertheless it’s the fitting factor for myself and it’s the fitting factor for my spouse and our three children.”
Whitelock began his senior profession at Canterbury in 2008 and performed for the Crusaders in Tremendous Rugby from 2010, serving to the franchise win the championship 5 instances earlier than becoming a member of Pau in 2023.
“Sam is an immortal of our unbelievable sport,” the New Zealand head coach, Scott Robertson, mentioned. “Sam’s influence has been immense each mentally and bodily over 4 World Cup cycles. He’s a winner who rose to any event.”