Courtney Lawes, the hard-hitting England rugby player, has announced that he will be hanging up his boots after the Rugby World Cup. The devastating loss to South Africa in the semi-finals has made Lawes realize that it’s the end of an era for him. After the upcoming bronze medal match against Argentina, Lawes will bid farewell to his international playing days. And he won’t be the only one saying goodbye, as other veteran players like Dan Cole, Joe Marler, Ben Youngs, and Danny Care are also nearing the end of their careers.
With an impressive 105 caps, Lawes is the fifth-most capped men’s international player for England. He made his debut back in 2009, under the captaincy of Steve Borthwick, who is now the head coach. Over the years, Lawes has been a part of four World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours. He even had the honor of leading the England team on 12 occasions. But now, it’s time for him to step aside and focus on his family.
Lawes, who is 34 years old, expressed his decision, saying, “I’ve done four World Cups, so I’m pretty happy with that. This was my last World Cup. The kids are at that age where they need their dad around. It will be good to be with them more and provide some much-needed structure to the chaos.” Reflecting on his journey, Lawes added, “It’s been a real honor for me to represent England for so long. Time flies, and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but I’ve persevered.”
While Lawes may not be one to show his emotions, he couldn’t help but express his gratitude, saying, “To be able to finish with this group is something I’ll treasure forever. When you’re away in camps like World Cup camps, you form a bond that feels like family. Spending five months with your brothers, I’ll definitely miss the banter and all the mischief we get up to when we’re not training. I’ll also miss the hard work and the feeling of giving it my all while wearing the England jersey.”
Before bidding farewell, Lawes and the England team have one last match to play. They will face Argentina in the bronze medal match on Friday. Steve Borthwick, the head coach, is determined to end the campaign on a high note. He believes that there is still room for growth in the team and that they have shown progress throughout the tournament. Borthwick is already looking ahead to the future, with his sights set on the 2027 World Cup. He said, “We want to make sure we take more growth and move forward this week. After the tournament, we’ll reflect on the next steps. Despite the adversity we faced, I know we’ll come out stronger.”