Seán Cronin Announces Retirement from Rugby

Leinster Rugby and Ireland hooker Seán Cronin has announced his decision to retire from rugby at the end of the current season.

Cronin, who turns 36 next month, has to date won 204 caps for Leinster Rugby, and has represented Ireland on 72 occasions.

The Limerick native joined Leinster Rugby from Connacht Rugby in 2011 and made his Leinster debut in October of that year against Edinburgh Rugby. A few weeks later he would make his European debut, scoring a try off the bench against Montpellier.

This started a remarkable try-scoring run which has to date seen Cronin cross the whitewash an incredible 45 times in the blue of Leinster.

In his time with Leinster Rugby, Cronin has won two Heineken Champions Cup medals, a Challenge Cup medal and six PRO12/14 titles.

In 2015, he was named the Players’ Player of the Year and as a firm fan-favourite, his form for Leinster also saw him awarded the Supporters’ Player of the Year Award in 2019.

He made his Ireland debut in 2009 and would remain a key figure throughout the next decade, including the 2014 and the 2015 Six Nations-winning squads and the Grand Slam-winning squad of 2018. He left an indelible mark on that triumph scoring the crucial bonus-point try in the final round win over Scotland.