Wales scrum-half Davies retires from internationals

Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies has announced his status from the planetary signifier astatine the property of 34.

The Scarlets half-back has won 77 Wales caps and toured doubly with the British and Irish Lions successful a Test vocation that began successful 2014 successful South Africa.

He helped Wales triumph a Six Nations Grand Slam successful 2019 and the rubric successful 2021 and scored a memorable winning effort against England astatine Twickenham successful the 2015 World Cup that contributed to the hosts exiting the tourney astatine the radical stage.

Davies has announced his determination 4 days earlier Wales brag Warren Gatland is owed to sanction his squad for the nation's 2024 location autumn Tests against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Davies' past Wales quality came successful their 36-35 triumph against the Queensland Reds successful an uncapped fixture astatine Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane successful July wherever helium captained the side.

Davies said connected societal media: "I've decided that, aft 10 unthinkable years playing for Wales, I americium retiring from planetary rugby.

"It was my puerility imagination to correspond my state and I person loved each infinitesimal successful a Wales jersey.

"From winning my archetypal headdress connected the summertime circuit backmost successful 2014, to playing successful 3 Rugby World Cups, winning a Six Nations title and a Grand Slam… it truly has been special.

"Thank you to my family, my woman Katy, my friends and each the fans for their enactment implicit the past decade.

"It's been an honour to correspond Wales and with this breathtaking young radical of players coming done I consciousness present is the close clip for maine to measurement distant from planetary rugby.

"I inactive person a batch to springiness to the crippled and I'm looking guardant to the past fewer years of my nine rugby career. Diolch."

Wales brag Warren Gatland said: "Gareth has been a large subordinate for Wales implicit the past decennary and helium has ever fixed everything successful the reddish jersey.

"There person been immoderate truly memorable moments, similar his tries against England successful the World Cup successful 2015 and against Australia successful the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. He and his household tin beryllium precise arrogant of his planetary achievements.

"I cognize helium inactive has a batch to springiness rugby and look guardant to continuing to ticker him play astatine nine level."

Last play Davies scored 2 tries arsenic Scarlets won astatine Cardiff successful the United Rugby Championship.

He helped the westbound Wales squad triumph the existent competition’s Pro12 predecessor successful 2017 with a triumph against Munster successful Dublin.

Scarlets caput manager Dwayne Peel said: "Gareth has enjoyed an outstanding planetary career, for Wales and the Lions.

“He has played successful 3 World Cups, won Six Nations titles and a Grand Slam and scored immoderate unthinkable tries. I person enjoyed moving with him and look guardant to doing truthful astatine the Scarlets.

“He has been superb for america successful the opening weeks of the play and inactive has a batch to connection america successful presumption of some playing and his enactment relation here."