Dan Cole: England and Leicester Tigers prop to retire from rugby at end of season
England and Leicester prop Dan Cole, 38, to retire at end of season, saying, "it is a really tough decision to make but I know it's the right one"; Cole has played over 300 games for Leicester and won four Premiership titles; he is second most-capped England player with 118 appearances
Wednesday 28 May 2025 06:18, UK
England and Leicester prop Dan Cole will retire from rugby at the end of the season.
The 38-year-old - England's second most-capped men's player with 118 appearances for his country - will bow out once Leicester's Premiership campaign comes to an end.
Cole has played 340 games for his boyhood club and won four Premiership titles.
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He represented England in four World Cups and made 14 appearances for the British and Irish Lions across the 2013 tour of Australia and 2017 series in New Zealand.
Cole told Leicester's official website: "It has not been an easy decision at all. I have been toing and froing.
"However, I think this is the best time for me to finish playing. It is a really tough decision to make but I know it's the right one.
"As you get older, physically, it's definitely harder to carry on and, looking around the changing room, I am 10 years older than most of the guys in there with me and that's challenging as well.
"I don't want to be the old guy, just sat around and hanging on to something for too long."
'It's time for the club to kick on and me to go'
Cole's Leicester team-mate Ben Youngs - the only England men's player with more caps than him - had previously announced he will retire at the end of the season.
Cole says that has influenced his decision to call time on his career.
He added: "I believe, with Ben, Julián Montoya and others that are in and around my age, ending their time at the club at the end of the season, plus the new chapter next season with Geoff Parling coming in as head coach.
"It's time for the club to kick on and the right time for me to go.
"This is what I have done and what I have known every day for the past 20 years. The easy thing would have been to sign for a year and keep playing, but it's the right thing to do [to retire].
"Overall, I have loved my career but haven't loved every minute, which has allowed me to appreciate the good times even more. However, when I do look back on it properly at the end, I know I won't want to change anything about it.
"It's clear it is not over yet. This is about finishing my career at the end of our season. There is still hopefully a few more games left for me to play this season."
England head coach Steve Borthwick also paid tribute to Cole, having been captain when the prop made his senior international debut and also coached him at club and international level.
Borthwick said: "It was a privilege to play alongside Dan at the start of his Test career, and later to coach him.
"He's not only a brilliant team player, but also a rare talent. His loyalty and service to both England and Leicester Tigers have been truly outstanding.
"While his retirement marks the end of a remarkable playing career, I've no doubt he'll continue to make a meaningful impact in whatever comes next.
"We all wish him the very best for the future."
