Visser calls time on his Test career

Scotland wing Tim Visser today announced his decision to retire from international rugby. 

Born in Zeewolde, Netherlands, Visser scored 14 tries in 33 appearances in a five-year spell for his adopted country that began after qualifying on residency grounds in 2012. 

Visser said: “Playing for Scotland has been the biggest honour of my life. I feel it has been even more special by not being my country of birth but where I had grown to call home. 

“Being asked to play for a top nation in world rugby and being accepted by my teammates as one of their own has been incredible.  “I can still remember my home debut against the All Blacks at BT Murrayfield as if it were yesterday and the emotions that it brought me.

However International rugby brings many challenges and, with a young family, the time away from home has been hard.  “I also feel that Scotland is in a fantastic place with some great young talent coming through and now is my time to free up the space for them to develop.  “I want to thank everyone associated with Scottish rugby and of course my family and my wife Laura for supporting me through it all. 

“Six incredible years with Edinburgh has led me down to Harlequins and I feel now is the time to say goodbye to international rugby and concentrate on my club career.”   

Visser marked his Scotland debut with a brace of tries against Fiji in Lautoka that year and repeated the feat in his third cap against New Zealand at BT Murrayfield, as Scotland crossed the whitewash against the All Blacks for the first time in seven years.  The following year he started all of Scotland's RBS 6 Nations matches and marked his home debut at BT Murrayfield - against Italy - with a try, concluding the Championship with his sixth try for Scotland in 10 Tests – against France in Paris. 

After running out in two Summer tour Tests, his international involvement was curtailed by a leg fracture sustained in the domestic season. He did, however return a year later in the first game of Scotland's 2014 summer tour and scored his seventh try for Scotland as the USA were beaten 24-6.  Visser remained a potent part of Scotland squads ever since, dotting down twice against Italy in Scotland's 48-7 Summer Test win at Murrayfield to secure a place in the squad for the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Tim returned to the fold in the 2016 6 Nations and, after missing out on the opening two games, started the remaining three, registering a vital score (his 11th) in the home win over France.  Tim missed out on the summer tour that year but returned in the autumn and the 6 Nations in 2017, scoring two tries (against Wales and Italy) in his three appearances, and again in Scotland's 2017 summer tour Tests against Italy and Fiji to finish on an impressive 48% strike rate.