Former Scotland forward Tim Swinson to retire at end of the season

Scotland and Glasgow Warriors second-row Tim Swinson has decided to call time on his career at the age of 33.

"It's a hard goodbye to the game I've played for the last 14 years," Swinson wrote on Instagram.

"But it's time to move on to the next adventure. The memorable games, victories and friendships won't be lost, but the camaraderie will be missed."

 

 

 

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It’s a hard goodbye to the game I’ve played for the last 14 years, but it’s time to move onto the next adventure. The memorable games, victories and friendships won’t be lost, but the camaraderie will be missed. Glasgow and Newcastle have given me the opportunity to live my boyhood dream and it has not disappointed; playing in big games, finals and a World Cup felt better than I could have imagined. The teammates who shared those highs also made the lows, the injuries and disappointments manageable, I thank you. To the fans who make the game what it is - whose support, undaunted by obscure away travel and awful weather, never falters - the game would be in a far worse place without you. I would like to thank to my family, and in particular my wife, whose own sacrifices allowed me to pursue my dreams - I would never have achieved as much as I have without your support. Finally, to my daughters - I hope that I have shown you that you can achieve anything that you set your mind to, and that your childhood dreams can become reality too. • • • • @tynedalerugby @nurfc @falconsrugby @glasgowwarriors @oundleschool

A post shared by Tim Swinson (@timothyjmswinson) on May 22, 2020 at 2:52am PDT

Swinson earned 38 Scotland caps and was part of the Warriors squad that won the Pro12 title in 2015.

The 33-year-old joined up with Warriors in 2012 from Newcastle Falcons where he'd been a regular starter in the pack since making his debut in 2005.

A big forward, he brought a hard-hitting edge to the Scotstoun pack and went on to make 136 appearances for Glasgow.

Born in England, Swinson was eligible to play for Scotland because of his Glaswegian grandmother and made his debut against South Africa in 2013.

He was involved in the set-up of the first union for rugby players in Scotland - called Rugby Players Scotland - and was appointed chairman of the organization when it started in 2018.