Daniel Richard Cole - to retire at the end of the season

[FKAS]

Dan Cole will retire from professional rugby at the conclusion of the 24/25 season.

The Leicester Tigers prop has made 340 senior appearances for the club over almost two decades.

“This place means a lot to me. I have made some great memories with some great people at Leicester Tigers.”

After graduating from the club’s Academy, he was loaned to Bedford Blues in 2006 and made 34 appearances for the Championship club over two seasons. In 2008, he was loaned to Nottingham for a short spell and made 5 appearances.

Cole’s senior club debut was away to Bath Rugby in the EDF Energy Cup (now known as Premiership Rugby Cup) in October 2007. He has also played almost 50 non-capped games for Tigers.

He became a regular in the senior side in the 08/09 campaign, which ended with his first Premiership title, when he came off the bench in the one-point, 10-9, victory over London Irish.

Cole would go on to win three more Premierships (09/10, 12/13, 21/22) and two Anglo-Welsh Cups (2012, 2017).

Cole retired from international rugby after playing 118 Tests for England, the second most of all-time for the men’s side behind long-time club and country team-mate Ben Youngs (127).

He represented England in four successive Rugby World Cups (2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), playing in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final, and won three Six Nations Championships (2011, 2016, 2017).

In 2013, he was selected to tour Australia with the British & Irish Lions and played in all three Test matches and, in 2017, was selected for a second tour for the series against New Zealand. He made a total of 14 appearances for the British & Irish Lions in two tours.

Cole and Youngs, who will also retire at the end of the current campaign, started a podcast, For The Love of Rugby, in January 2024.

Speaking about his decision to retire, Cole said: “It has not been an easy decision at all. I have been to-ing and fro-ing; however, I think this is the best time for me to finish playing.”

“I believe, with Ben Youngs, Julián Montoya and others that are in and around my age, ending their time at the club at the end of the season, plus the new chapter next season with Geoff Parling coming in as Head Coach, it’s time for the club to kick-on and the right time for me to go.

“This is what I have done and what I have known every day for the past twenty years and so, the easy thing would have been to sign for a year and keep playing, but it’s the right thing to do. It is a really tough decision to make but I know it’s the right one.

“As you get older, physically, it’s definitely harder to carry on and, looking around the changing room, I am ten years older than most of the guys in there with me and that’s challenging as well. I don’t want to be the old guy, just sat around and hanging on to something for too long.”

Looking ahead, Cole added: “This place means a lot to me. I have made some great memories with some great people at Leicester Tigers.”

“Overall, I have loved my career but haven’t loved every minute, which has allowed me to appreciate the good times even more. However, when I do look back on it properly at the end, I know I won’t want to change anything about it.

“Most important to me, today when I announce it, is that it’s clear it is not over yet. This is about finishing my career at the end of our season. There is still hopefully a few more games left for me to play this season.”

[Banquo]

Chapeau

[Epaminondas Pules]

Absolute legend!

[fivepointer]

Great player. THP is a mighty tough position to play and Cole did it with distinction over many seasons.

[Danno]

Proper end of an era this season

[Oakboy]

I think his comeback after that RWC disaster takes some believing. Lots would have walked away after that experience. Some character.

[Adam_P]

Legend of the modern game. Incredibly consistent and durable in an attritional position. Seems like a really sound bloke as well

[Mikey Brown]

I think his comeback after that RWC disaster takes some believing. Lots would have walked away after that experience. Some character.

Yep. That must have been rough.

Incredible career and really enjoying his perspective on his podcast.

[Mr Mwenda]

Great player, always comes across well.

[FKAS]

I think his comeback after that RWC disaster takes some believing. Lots would have walked away after that experience. Some character.

Had a neck op as well.

How he changed and adapted his game over time was brilliant. Started off as a decent scrummager who could compete at the breakdown. Post neck op he became a more than decent scrummager though lost his ability at the breakdown somewhat, though his work rate was still higher than a lot of contemporaries. In recent times he developed a kick chase and still caused looseheads sleepless nights.

His highlights reel probably isn't going to be reviewed by following generations, which is a shame for a player so consistently excellent over should a long period of time.