Former France international Lionel Nallet has announced he will retire at the end of the season bringing the curtain down on a successful 15-year career.
The lock was capped 54 times for France and was part of three victorious RBS 6 Nations campaigns including the 2010 Grand Slam winning side.
Nallet endeared himself to the public during the 2011 World Cup, choosing to apologise in front of the media for his team’s shock loss to Tonga in a pool game.
And the 36-year-old, who captained the national side 16 times between 2008-2009 has said he has achieved everything he possibly could from his passion.
“I think that I’ve done what I needed to do in rugby,” he said. “I have done my time.
“I have all the same experiences some extraordinary moments and I have had a privileged life in some respects.
“We have a pretty good life in comparison to others, we don’t work 10 hour days.
“Alright I don’t have any weekends off but you can take that any way you like it because we have a lovely life in general.
“This part of my life is going to come to an end but I have other really interesting things on the side which sees me leave without any regrets.
“Nevertheless I still take pleasure out of playing. Sometimes it is true the daily training routines are a little tough.”
And the Racing Metro forward insists there will be no second-guessing his decision when does hang up his boots for good.
“I won’t regret retiring at the end of the season for several reasons,” he added. “First of all my age and all those mornings when I have to get up.
“Also my other interests outside of rugby have become increasingly difficult to manage at the same time as carrying on playing. I cannot be everywhere 100% of the time.”
