England centre calls time on career

England centre Jamie Noon is to retire at the end of the season, his French club Brive announced on Tuesday.

Noon, who will turn 34 in May, was capped 38 times and was a member of the 2007 World Cup squad, playing in the first two pool matches before a knee injury ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.

England, who were the defending champions, went on to reach the final but lost to South Africa.

He played most of his club rugby for English side Newcastle before joining Brive in 2009.

AFP