Ken Owens announces immediate retirement

Scarlets, Wales, and British & Irish Lions hooker Ken Owens has announced his retirement from professional rugby due to injury.

The 37-year-old is Wales' most capped hooker with 91 appearances and captained his country for the 2023 Guinness Six Nations campaign.

Owens has a further five caps for the British & Irish Lions across two tours in 2017 and 2021.

He spent his entire professional career with the Scarlets, making his debut in 2006 as a 19-year-old. Since then he has amassed almost 300 appearances for the region, captaining them for seven successive seasons.

The last few seasons have seen Owens' playing time severely limited due to a back injury, which is ultimately why he has been advised to retire. His last match for Wales therefore came against France in last year's Six Nations, with the injury ruling him out of the World Cup.

“Reluctantly, I am announcing my retirement from rugby," he said to the Scarlets.

"Not playing has been challenging, but the time is right to follow medical advice and hang up my boots.

“Had I written the script there would have been one more game for Wales, for the Scarlets and ultimately Carmarthen Athletic. A chance to sign off and thank everyone involved. It was not to be. It might not be the dream ending but my career has been more than I could have dreamt of.

“Whilst part of me wishes I could have done more, I am well aware that if you had told me as a kid I would be fortunate enough to experience what I have, to have worked with and played with the people I have and taken the pleasure I have from this amazing game, I wouldn’t have believed you.”