Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap has announced her retirement from international rugby at the age of 35.
Having been skipper of Wales for three years, Lillicrap has led Wales Women into the professional era of the sport and was one of the first 12 players to be awarded full-time WRU playing contracts.
She helped Wales get to the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup this year in New Zealand, and explained she felt it was the right time to hang up her boots. She bows out with 51 Wales caps to her name.
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“I’m well aware that rugby careers don’t last forever and I would never want to give the jersey any less than 100%," she said. "It feels the right time to make this decision and step back as an international player ahead of a new Rugby World Cup cycle.
“It’s been a hard decision because the red jersey means so much to me but physically it certainly feels the right time. We all put so much into the last year getting ready for Rugby World Cup and I’m grateful to have had the chance to fulfil my dream as a full-time athlete for the last 10 months."
She also explained how much it meant to receive her first cap aged 28.
“It's been a whirlwind six years of international rugby. It was a dream come true to reach cap No. 1 at 28 having fought so hard for so long on the fringes of the squad for that opportunity. That was in 2016 and so the 2017 Rugby World Cup was another huge milestone that I thought I wouldn’t get again.
“It meant the world to be given the captain’s armband in 2019 and that honour was never lost on me. Every single match, even the tough losses mean so much to us as players and that was the case for me. I cherished every moment and I feel proud to have contributed towards the future too and leaving the programme in a better place for the next players to come through."
Lillicrap dedicated Wales' opening World Cup victory against Scotland to her late grandfather, who died while she was preparing for the tournament, and explains the World Cup campaign was huge for her and the Welsh team.
“This past Rugby World Cup will also live long in the memory," she said. "It was tough for me personally, losing my grandad early on. But as a squad we showed we are capable of competing with the best teams in the world which is a huge step forward in our journey. I’m very excited for the future of the programme and I look forward to giving back to it in some way."
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham paid tribute to Lillicrap, explaining that her involvement will be hugely significant in the future of the game.
“On top of her undoubted playing ability, Siwan has excellent leadership skills and her commitment to the jersey is second to none," he said. "She inspires the next generation and I’m sure we will work together again in the future.”
The Welsh Rugby Union's chief executive Steve Phillips said the ex-skipper has "been a great servant to Welsh rugby" and found her to be "a fantastic advocate for fellow players" during the transition to the professional era.
Lillicrap has worn a Wales jersey for the final time, but her rugby days are not yet over. She will continue her club career with Gloucester-Hartpury in England's Premier 15s competition, and actually helped her new side to a famous victory over her former club Bristol Bears last weekend.
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