News

Rathbone formally retires

August 12 2009

It had been coming for a while, but on Tuesday Australia's winger Clyde Rathbone announced his retirement due to injury.

Rathbone suffered five fractures to his eye socket and cheekbone playing for club Uni-Norths Owls in Canberra on Saturday.

He said that injuries such as those, coupled with a declining desire, were behind his decision to leave a career that spanned 26 Tests for the Wallabies and 52 matches for the Brumbies, after having captained the South African U21 side.

His first year at the Brumbies in 2003 was largely a false start due to a groin problem, and subsequent knee injuries have seen him miss much of the last three seasons.

"I've decided to hang up the boots, it's all over," Rathbone said in the Canberra Times.

"I need to look after my long-term health and when I couldn't agree with any of the contracts that were in front of me for next year, I figured it would be best to step aside."

Rathbone, out of contract with the Brumbies, had had numerous offers to continue, including overseas, but nobody was willing to offer only a one-year contract.