Tuesday 25 July 2017 19:44, UK
Former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Tomas O'Leary has confirmed his retirement from rugby with immediate effect.
The 33-year-old Cork native came through the Munster academy ranks to play for the first team between 2005 and 2012, before spending three years in the Aviva Premiership with London Irish.
In 2015, he re-signed for his home province on a two-year contract but after struggling for game time last season joined Top 14 outfit Montpellier on loan.
With his contract at Munster expiring and no permanent offer on the table from Montpellier, O'Leary has brought his career to a close.
"I have had an incredible career from my academy days in Munster to my last game in Montpellier all of which have been extremely satisfying," he said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"I have realised my ambition of representing Munster and Ireland. Wearing the red and green jerseys has been a real honour."
He finishes having earned 24 caps for Ireland and won two European Cup titles with Munster in 2006 and 2008, starting the 2008 final against Toulouse.
O'Leary played a central role in Ireland's 2009 Grand Slam success, featuring in each of the five matches.
He was also selected in the 2009 British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa but had to withdraw before it began having sustained a serious broken leg and dislocated ankle in April 2009.
"There's no hiding away from the fact that my rugby never reached the same heights again [after 2009]," he said. "At the time Munster and Leinster were at the peak of their powers so it was a very intense period.
"You couldn't get away from it and it was frustrating because I wasn't playing as often as I would have liked. I needed to get out of that bubble.
"While leaving Munster might not have been a positive in rugby terms, certainly moving to London Irish opened my eyes because I was that bit more anonymous and it gave me the chance to think about and experience things other than rugby."
"I would implore the younger lads in the game to make the most of their opportunities provided to them by the game. In fact, I would say that my life both on and off the field has been much more enjoyable as a result!"
O'Leary finishes having played on 143 occasions for Munster and 42 times for London Irish.
