Ex-England full-back Brown to retire at end of season

Former England full-back Mike Brown has announced his status from rugby astatine nan extremity of nan play - pinch a parting plea to those who tally nan game.

The 39-year-old, presently pinch Leicester Tigers, will bring down nan curtain connected a 20-year profession which saw him gain 72 caps for his country.

He besides made 430 appearances successful each for Tigers, Newcastle Falcons and, principally, Harlequins, wherever he began his master profession successful 2005 and stayed for 16 years, winning 2 Premiership titles and nan European Challenge Cup.

Brown's status was announced on nan Leicester nine website,, external and he made a pointed plea to those who tally nan crippled successful a farewell address.

"Club owners, convention executives, nationalist and world governing assemblage elder leadership, my dream is that you travel together, deliberation beyond nan short term, and make nan bold, unselfish decisions needed to let rugby to thrive erstwhile again," he said.

"We person a work to protect and turn this unthinkable game, truthful early generations tin acquisition everything it has to connection - conscionable arsenic I have."

He besides urged different influential voices successful nan crippled to salary their portion successful reshaping nan future, adding: "Media figures, pundits, erstwhile players, commentators, I impulse you to proceed helping displacement nan antagonistic communicative astir rugby.

"Let's talk much astir nan superb action, nan large hits, nan electrical tries, nan unbelievable skill, nan fierce rivalries, and nan astonishing characters who make our crippled special.

"Rugby is afloat of passion, drama, and world-class athletes giving their all. By celebrating what makes our athletics great, we tin animate nan adjacent generation, bring much fans done nan gates, turn nan crippled and punctual everyone why we fell successful emotion pinch it successful nan first place."

Brown, who has scored 8 tries successful 32 appearances successful conscionable complete 2 years pinch Leicester, has not said what lies adjacent for him but added that he was looking guardant "to a caller section filled pinch energy, purpose, and passion for what's next".

His 280 Premiership appearances mean he is now 4th connected nan all-time list, down Richard Wigglesworth, Danny Care - who played his last game connected Sunday - and Alex Goode.

He reflected connected his profession by saying: "There person been unforgettable highs - those moments astatine Twickenham, hard-fought wins pinch Harlequins, nan honour of pulling connected nan England shirt, and representing nan history and contented of Leicester Tigers.

"And location person been challenges too, moments that tested maine deeply.

"But moreover nan lowest points helped maine turn successful ways I ne'er imagined. Every azygous infinitesimal - bully aliases reliable - has shaped maine into nan personification I americium today."