Wales and British and Irish Lions hero ‘draws a definitive line’ in rugby career as retirement decision made
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions star Alex Cuthbert will officially hang up his boots.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions star Alex Cuthbert has announced his retirement from the sport, bringing the curtain down on a decorated career.
The powerhouse back made his professional debut for Cardiff, making 120 appearances for the club before his departure in 2018. He then enjoyed a successful three-year spell with Exeter Chiefs, becoming part of the side that won a Premiership and Champions Cup double in 2020.
He later found his way to Ospreys, but has not played since leaving the club at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Cuthbert also went on to feature for Wales, making his debut in 2011. In total, he won 57 caps for his country and was a cornerstone in their historic 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam and 2013 Championship-winning teams.
His form in the 2013 Six Nations also saw him drafted into the Lions touring squad of Australia later that year, and featured in their Test One win over the Wallabies.
‘This draws a definitive line under my time as a rugby player as I prepare for my next chapter’
“After an incredible journey, the time has come to officially announce my retirement from professional rugby,” Cuthbert said in a statement via Sportin Wales.
“You may have thought I had done so already, but for me this draws a definitive line under my time as a rugby player as I prepare for my next chapter.
🚨 𝘿𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙘𝙝 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝘾𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩 🏴
🏴 Men’s international #1089
🧢 57 caps
🏉 17 tries
🏆 1x Grand Slam
🏅 1x @SixNationsRugby Championship
🦁 @lionsofficial #777 (2013)Llongyfarchiadau on a great career Cuthy, enjoy your retirement 👏👏👏#CymruAmByth pic.twitter.com/9xao37QGgw
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) September 26, 2025
“It all started at Westbury-on-Severn and Hucclecote, two grassroots clubs that introduced me to the game I grew to love.
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“Without those early days and the people who supported me, none of this would have been possible.
“To represent my country with my kids in the crowd meant more than words can say. It was a moment I’ll carry with me forever.
“If there’s one word to sum up this journey, it’s resilience.
“The ability to keep showing up, keep working, and keep believing has taken me from those early days at Westbury-on-Severn all the way to World Cups and Lions tours.”
Cuthbert has already begun to make a career as a rugby pundit, with the 35-year-old a regular guest on the BBC Scrum V Podcast.
