John Hardie to retire from professional rugby

Newcastle Falcons flanker John Hardie has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current season.

The 32-year-old has played provincial rugby for his native Southland, Super Rugby with the Highlanders, club rugby for Edinburgh and Newcastle Falcons as well as being capped 16 times by Scotland.

A foraging openside who threw his body into every single match, Hardie’s three seasons on Tyneside saw him making 30 appearances for the Falcons, the last of which came last month away to Exeter Chiefs.

“I think I could play for another year or two, but with the way the body is and the time it takes to recover between games – I just think it’s the right time to move on to a different career path,” said Hardie.

“It has to happen sometime, so it’s better that I decide it on my own terms. I feel like I’m playing good rugby, and I just don’t want to be hanging around or holding on for too long.

“With the way I play the game you have to throw everything into it, and whereas it used to be one or two days to get over a game, now it’s pretty much the full week until it’s time to play again on the weekend.

“I won’t miss waking up feeling like roadkill on a Sunday morning, but I’ve enjoyed my career and I’ve got nothing but gratitude for what rugby has given me.”