Wales prop Hale retires from rugby

Wales prop Cerys Hale has announced her status from rugby pursuing Wales’ Test triumph against Spain past Saturday that sealed World Cup qualification and a spot successful WXV2.

The 31-year-old, capped 49 times by Wales, retires aft a profession spanning much than a decade.

Newport-born Hale played successful nan 2017 World Cup successful Ireland and successful nan 2022 version successful New Zealand.

Hale will proceed to beryllium progressive successful rugby successful Wales arsenic she will return up a domiciled successful location rugby pinch her section nine arsenic Dragons’ women’s pathway manager.

“This was an easy determination aft playing rugby astatine nan highest level for astir of my big life, and it is clip to move connected and dedicate my clip to my domiciled pinch nan Dragons and processing nan adjacent procreation of talent successful Wales,” Hale said.

"Playing for my state has been an honour and to play successful 2 World Cups is thing I look backmost connected pinch existent pride.

"To spot nan crippled spell from amateur to master during my profession has fixed maine a existent penetration to really overmuch nan crippled has changed since I started playing for Newport High School Old Boys erstwhile I was 11.

"Women’s rugby successful Wales is successful a wholly different spot to erstwhile I started, pinch master contracts.

"With my domiciled pinch nan Dragons, I spot really overmuch talent location is retired location now believing they tin beryllium a master rugby subordinate successful Wales.”

Hale made her Wales debut arsenic a replacement against Ireland successful nan 2016 Six Nations tourney and she was portion of nan Wales squad that played successful nan WXV1 tourney successful New Zealand successful 2023, pinch her last Test lucifer against Australia successful Auckland.

The tight-head prop started her profession astatine Pontyclun RFC and played for Dragons earlier switching to existent English champions Gloucester-Hartpury successful 2019, helping them to back-to-back convention titles.

Hale says her domiciled pinch nan Dragons is simply a “full-circle moment”.

"I person to convey my wife, my family, friends and teammates and coaches for their support down nan years. You person been pinch maine each nan measurement and your support has been nan logic I played for my country, convey you,” she added.

"After falling successful emotion pinch nan crippled successful nan stands of Rodney Parade, it feels for illustration a full-circle infinitesimal to beryllium hanging my boots up to spell into a full-time domiciled pinch nan Dragons."

"To beryllium selected for 3 World Cups and to play successful 2 is simply a existent accomplishment for immoderate world player,” Wales caput coach Ioan Cunningham added.

“To person personification pinch her acquisition passing connected her knowledge to nan adjacent procreation of players successful Wales will beryllium invaluable. We convey her for what she has done successful nan Wales jersey and wish her each nan champion successful her caller role."