Nothing lasts forever, as they say, and no matter how indestructible some of the world's best rugby players may look while out on the field, there has to come a time when they call it a day.
So far this year, we've seen some of the biggest names in international rugby bow out, with modern greats including Alun Wyn Jones, Sergio Parisse and Johnny Sexton all announcing their retirements, either from Test rugby or the game altogether.
The most shocking announcements have come from Wales, with 37-year-old Jones confirming he was walking away from the Test arena less than two hours after teammate Justin Tipuric revealed he was also leaving Warren Gatland's side. Both men had been included in the initial 54-man Welsh training squad for this year's World Cup, but decided to quit four months out from the tournament kicking off.
