Butch to retire after Lions tour
September 13 2008
South African fly-half Butch James has warned that rugby players play an "unsustainable" number of games, saying it was a contributing factor to his decision to retire from internationals at the end of the season.
James turns out for English club Bath against Gloucester on Saturday in what will be the 34th competitive game of his endless winter - including 15 Tests.
A full Premiership season, a European Cup campaign, a potential autumn tour with the Boks and a series against the British Lions are still to come.
"It's not sustainable," James told The Guardian newspaper.
"It's pretty tough and I don't think it's advisable either. You're going to break down somewhere along the line.
"There's no way I could continue doing this."
James said his decision to quit international rugby after the Lions tour, at the age of 30, was "irreversible".
He is undecided whether to re-sign with Bath for the 2009-10 season or to rejoin the Sharks in Durban.
"Even if I did go back to the Sharks, the Lions would be the end of it. I need to give the body a break," he said.
"You can feel when it's time and I think it'll be time next July.
Sometimes it's just the sight of another training pitch, especially when it's raining like it has been. It's not easy, even if the guys around you are helping you out."
"There are a lot of guys at home (in South Africa) who started their Test careers very young and you can see how sore their bodies are," he added.
"I don't think there's any way they'll still be going into their early 30s. Someone like Schalk Burger really throws his body around in every single game.
"I don't think he's going to be able to play much beyond 28 if he wants to play with his kids one day."