All Blacks great Sam Whitelock, the national team's most-capped player of all time, is retiring.
Whitelock is currently playing for French club Section Paloise. He'll hang up his boots at the end of the season in June.
The 35-year-old has turned out for the All Blacks 153 times since his 2010 debut as a 21-year-old, winning 125 of those Tests.
He won two Rugby World Cups, in 2011 and 2015, as well as 11 Tri Nations/Rugby Championship titles and 14 Bledisloe Cups.
"I've been having a few conversations with my wife Hannah and the kids around what the future looks like for us. And it's time to finish the playing chapter of rugby," Whitelock said in a statement overnight.
"I think if you talk to anyone who has played for a long time, that desire [to compete] never leaves, it's just that stage of life when you move on.
"It's not a decision that we have come to lightly, but it's the right thing for myself and it's the right thing for my wife and our three kids — Fred, Iris and Penelope."
As well as his success with the All Blacks, Whitelock won seven Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders since his debut in the competition, also in 2010. Only Wyatt Crockett has more appearances for the Christchurch club than Whitelock's 180.
"It's hard to thank everyone, but obviously Hannah has been a massive part along with my parents, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunties and grandparents. And also the fans in general, they've been so receptive of myself and also the way I play," Whitelock said.
"I'm very appreciative of the support I've had and there is no way I could have achieved the things I've had without them."
'A bit of an over thinker' - Hansen
Former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen told 1News that Whitelock was a "bit of an over thinker, because he really cared".
"Most over thinkers really want to be successful, and right from day one he really wanted to be a great All Black, not just an All Black, not just there making up the numbers. They’re the athletes you want because you can do something with them, because they want to do something themselves. He just got better and better.
“I think he’s a modern-day Colin Meads. He will be in folklore.
“I certainly put him in the same category as [Richie] McCaw, [Kieran] Read, [Dan] Carter... all those legends that we’ve had. He came very close to being the first All Black to lift the [World Cup] trophy three times.
“He’s the full package. He’s not somebody that went out and played rugby and cared about himself. He cared about everybody. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”
'One of the most influential players of his generation'
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson called Whitelock "one of the most influential players of his generation".
"His long list of accolades tell a pretty special story, but he has also made a very big impact off the field during his 14 years as an All Black," he added.
"We wish him well in his retirement and the next phase of his life. And while he's hanging up his boots, we know he'll stay involved in rugby one way or another in the future."
And new All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, who coached Whitelock at the Crusaders for years and many titles, said: "Sam is an immortal of our incredible game.
"Sam will stand with the greats of our game."
Whitelock captained the All Blacks for 18 Tests. His final game was the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa in Paris last year.
Whitelock and Brodie Retallick, his long-time second row partner, set a new world record for Test starts together.
He won New Zealand Player of the Year in 2017.
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