Northampton Saints hooker Tom Cruse to retire at end of season

Northampton Saints hooker Tom Cruse has joined the contingent of front-rows at Franklin's Gardens to announce their retirement at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old follows props Alex and Ethan Waller in confirming this will be his last season of professional rugby, as director of rugby Phil Dowson is set to see a number of players leave.

Cruse joined the Saints midway through last season following a short stint at Edinburgh. He moved to the Scottish capital shortly after his previous club Wasps went into liquidation.

It was with Wasps that the hooker found the most success in his career, making 114 appearances for them and being named players' player of the season in 2018.

He has made 14 appearances for Northampton so far since joining in January 2023.

In a statement on social media, he said that the "job is not done yet" with the Saints competing on both a domestic and European front. He wrote: “Now is the right time to announce my retirement from professional rugby,” said Cruse. “I’m eternally grateful to Northampton Saints for extending a lifeline after the unfortunate demise of Wasps.

“I have loved my time here at Saints, met some amazing people, and learned valuable lessons which will no doubt help me as I move into a new chapter.

“My route to the Premiership was unconventional. It took me seven years to get from an 18-year-old playing for my local club Stockport, to making my Premiership debut with London Irish at 25.

“Wasps came next, and became a place that my family and I would call home for the next seven years. I was lucky enough to be a part of two Premiership finals, one Premiership semi-final and a European semi-final. I was part of some amazing teams in that time, sharing the field with some incredible people.

“And though that experience of the end still carries over to this day – I can still hear the gasp in the room as the administrator explained the inevitable – I’m grateful for every minute I got to play in a Wasps jersey.

“Since then, after enjoyable stints with the Barbarians and Edinburgh, I found my way to Saints. What an incredible Club. Top to bottom it is full of great people, all pulling in the same direction. Getting to captain the side against the Barbarians and having my children join me as mascots against Sale last month are particular highlights.

“Truly I have too many people to thank. First, my wife, Jess, and children, Matilda, Charlie, and Finlay, for their unconditional love and support. And my mum and dad for giving me the opportunity to do all of this.

“It’s also important to mention the big influences on my professional career. My agent Marc Baldrey who has been with me from start to finish, I couldn’t ask for a better person to have had with me along the way. Lee Blackett who took a chance on a young hooker at Rotherham Titans, and went on to coach me for a further eight years. Dai Young who gave me my first consistent run in the Premiership and, of course, Phil Dowson who has given me the chance to carry on playing as I close out my career, for which I am extremely grateful.

“But most importantly the job is not done yet, the hard work continues for the rest of the season. I’m really excited to see what we can do as a group in the coming months.”

Dowson added: “Tom came in here at a time when we needed some cover at hooker, and what people won’t necessarily realise from the outside is how good he is with the group.

“He’s such a fantastic leader, somebody who always put the team first, and he has tonnes of experience which he’s been happy to pass on to the younger players.

“His communication skills on the pitch and in training, his attitude to training and getting better – even when he has not been playing regularly – has been exemplary. To have a senior head like him in that group, developing his peers and driving standards, it really helps to bring those younger lads through.

“Tom is a great Saints man who puts the team first, and whenever he gets the chance to play, he goes as hard as he possibly can and has put in great performances for the Club.

“We’ll miss him around the camp, and of course wish him and his young family all the very best for the future away from rugby.”