Bristol Bears hooker Tom Lindsay to retire at end of season

Bristol Bears hooker Tom Lindsay has confirmed that he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the 2019/20 season bring an end to a 16-year career.

Lindsay joined Bristol ahead of the 2018/19 season and has played three Premiership games for the club since then. His professional rugby career started with Wasps in 2004 and had also represented Gloucester, Saracens and Bedford Blues in the past.

The 32-year-old has featured in 95 Premiership games for three clubs combined and was selected for England Saxons in the 2010 Churchill Cup.

“Tom is massively respected by the players and, as RPA (Rugby Players Association) ambassador for the club, he has done a great job in not only contributing to the Bears vision as a player, but also representing the views of the squad on a number of issues,” said Director of Rugby Pat Lam to the official website of the club.

“We congratulate Tom on his career – he established himself as a Premiership performer from a young age and we were all impressed by the impact he had at Bedford too, which was why I brought him to Bristol.

“Tom has aspirations to be a coach and his work as forwards coach with Bears Women last season has underlined his leadership quality and understanding of the game. We wish Tom and Millie all the best for the next chapter and thank him for his commitment to Bristol.”