Wales & Ospreys Back Announces His Retirement At Just 31

Ospreys centre Jonathan Spratt has today announced his retirement from professional rugby at the end of the season.

The 31-year old Welsh international centre, who has played 101 times for his home region, will hang up his boots more than 10 years after making his debut off the bench in a 25-20 defeat to Munster at Thomond Park, to take up a new opportunity within rugby.

“This is the right time for me to move on to the next stage of my life” said Spratt in a statement released by Ospreys

“I’ve had a good career. I was only 20-years old when I made my debut and I realise that most professional rugby players don’t get as long in the shirt as I’ve had so I’m extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity and to have been able to do the dream job as long as I have.

“Throughout my career I’ve always been very aware of the fact that a sportsman is only one injury away from being finished so I’ve always worked hard to develop myself off the field and I’m looking forward to putting my skills to the test in a different environment.

“In the short term though there’s still some work to do as an Osprey with the Scarlets game on Saturday and then, hopefully, play-offs to prepare for after that and, whatever the outcome, I want to help the team end the season on a high.”

Spratt gained the first of his four Wales caps in 2009 against Canada in Toronto. He has scored 10 tries for the Ospreys and captained the team on 12 occasions, a total bettered by only eight players in the region’s history.