Former Wales fullback Halfpenny to retire at end of season

May 5 : Former Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny will retire from professional rugby at the end of this season, the 37-year-old Cardiff player said on Tuesday.

Halfpenny, who retired from international rugby in 2023, made 101 appearances for Wales, scoring 801 points - making him his country's third-highest all-time scorer - and also made four test appearances for the British and Irish Lions.

"It's always going to be difficult to walk away from a game that's been part of my life for so long," Halfpenny said in a video posted on social media.

"But when you know, you know and now I know the time is right for me and my family."

Halfpenny began his career at Cardiff, making 87 appearances and scoring 568 points. After spells with Toulon, Scarlets, Crusaders and Harlequins, he returned to Cardiff last year, taking on a kicking coach role while recovering from injury.

He played just twice for Cardiff this season, both games coming against Ulster, and the club have two regular season fixtures left in the United Rugby Championship (URC), along with any potential knockout stage matches.