Big Wagga retires from International Rugby

Nathan Hines has called time on his international career and has decided to retire at 77 caps. The monster lock and Lions tourist has been a brilliant player for Scotland and I certainly wish him all the best as he focuses on his club rugby from now on.

On his retirement Hines said :

“I wanted to finish my career on my terms and didn’t want to be the player that played one year too many. I will always want to play for Scotland, even when I’m 50 I’ll still want to play, but I guess it’s time to move on. This was the reason I was so emotional after the England game as I know how difficult it will be to give up,”

http://www.scottishrugby.org/content/view/2301/2/

What a legend - a great player. I'm very sad to see him go.

The discussion of Scotland's second row future can come later. For now, let's pay tribute to Big Nathan, a guy who gave everything for Scotland and the Lions.

Awh I like Hines. Top bloke. All the best to the big man. I wonder if there's a coaching place for him somewhere in Scotland if he wanted it?

A ligind.

The guy is a winner - Top 14 championship with Perpignon, already a try scorer with Clermont, a Lions tourist and a Heineken Cup winner. Leinster are missing him badly this season already.

AND he tw@tted Lee 'Tom Daly' Byrne in the face in 2008.

What's not to like? You have to like anyone from a town called Wagga Wagga.

Massive servent to Scottish rugby. He will be missed. Good luck to him with his club rugby.

Brilliant player. He was a massive player for Leinster, one of the best of some brilliant foreign imports to grace Irish rugby.

Scotland seem to have plenty of quality at lock but certainly Hines was still international standard for sure and still added something for Scotland.

We are not worthy, sir

Absolute legend, not just for Scotland but the game in general. You wouldn't find many people saying a bad word about him and luckily O'sullivan's false accusation about choking O'Gara didn't turn into anything. Such a shame he didn't make the test squad for the Lions tour but he did do himself proud while out there.

Expected this to come (based on the tears after the England game) so no surprise, but sad to see him go!

Would have liked to see him in the 6N squad but I understand his reasoning for retiring. Good luck to him, he was a legend in the blue.

Reckon he'll end his career in a Scottish club shirt ?

No, he's just gone to ASM on a 2-3(can't remember which)-yr contract - think he'll hang up his boots after that, probably back in Oz

Fantastic player Hines (at lock).

Scotland have had some enforcers down the years, Damian Cronin and Jim Hamilton are two examples, but to be both an enforcer and a good ball player marks out Hines as a special player.

His partnership with Scott Murray remains the best second row partnership I can recall Scotland having. Hopefully Hamilton, Gray and Kellock can forge something to now top them.

Is he the best "non-Scot" to play for Scotland? Debatable, but he's certain the one that's made the biggest contribution.

No fES

That accolade needs to go to the chainsaw!!!!

I was thinking more John Leslie or Sean Lineen, but now you mention it yes, the Chainsaw was a right highlight in the early 90's. A player who had it all.

....and lost it on the way over to Edinburgh.

"That accolade needs to go to the chainsaw!!!!."



Does anyone actually remember him cutting through any defence?

Good luck to Hines...good player...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Does anyone actually remember him cutting through any defence?

Sort of. He was often responsible for the openning of the Scotland defence. He was unbelievably slow on the turn which made him the ideal fullback for opposition strike runners.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Does anyone actually remember him cutting through any defence?

Sort of. He was often responsible for the openning of the Scotland defence. He was unbelievably slow on the turn which made him the ideal fullback for opposition strike runners.

He was also generally slower than Rick Perry's powers of recall.

Slower also than Herman Cain or George Bush. In fact they should just rename the Republican Party the Brendan Laney Party.