The former England back-row Tom Wood has announced he will retire at the end of the season, aged 35.
Wood is a club legend at Northampton Saints, where he has played since 2010. A year later he won the first of his 50 England caps, which saw him captain on the tour of Argentina in 2013 and feature at two World Cups.
Wood was capable of playing in all three positions in the back-row, and he played his final game for England in 2017. Since, he has remained an integral cog at Northampton.
Saints host Newcastle on Saturday, and victory would assure them a place in the play-offs. Wood has been out since February with a shoulder injury, so appears to have played his final game for the club.
“Obviously, retiring is a difficult and emotional decision for any player,” he said. “I’ve not been able to make as much of a contribution on the pitch as I’d have liked this season due to injury, but that’s the nature of professional sport.
“I’m very proud of my playing career with both Saints and England, and I want to thank all of Saints’ supporters who have embraced me during my time here."
