France legend Vincent Clerc has announced he will retire from rugby at the end of the season, 16 years after first appearing for his country.
The 36-year-old winger won 67 caps for his country and was a NatWest 6 Nations champion on three occasions, winning the Grand Slam with France in 2004 and 2010.
He scored 11 tries in the Championship throughout his career, a French record and made 31 appearances across eight different Championship campaigns.
In 2008, France finished third, but Clerc enjoyed a hugely successful campaign, scoring five tries in five matches, with two against Scotland in France’s opener, before securing a stunning hat-trick against Ireland as France ran out 26-21 winners at the Stade de France.
He spent most of his career at Toulouse, but made the switch to Toulon in 2016 and is on the hunt for a final domestic trophy before hanging up his boots.
In a video, Clerc said: “Almost a year ago, I thought everything was over when I got an Achilles injury.
“I thought about stopping everything, but deep down I had a feeling that history wasn’t finished, that I still had a chapter left to write.
“I worked every day, slowly, with patience and perseverance, to do one more season at this level.
“I am going to miss a lot of things: friends, adrenaline, competition, the fans, that’s for sure.
“What I’ll remember is that for years, I lived my dream.
“I still have the same motivation and to win one more trophy would be a great way to end my career.”
