Bordeaux-Begles' Aussie wing retires

NEWS: Bordeaux-Begles’ long-serving Australian wing Blair Connor on Wednesday announced his retirement from the sport, at the age of 31, and immediately turned his focus to his other passion: surfing.

After starring for junior Wallaby teams and the Australian Sevens squad, the Brisbane native moved to southwestern France in 2010 and spent a decade with Bordeaux-Begles, helping the club gain promotion into the Top 14 from the ProD2.

Connor complained he now felt “pain every day” and training had become a chore.

“Unfortunately for me, it’s no longer the 1960s where a warm-up was a cigarette and training was 10 beers in the pub!” Connor said on social media.

“These days, training is in fact more intense than matches and more important for the win.

“I decided I could give 100 percent this season, but I’ll have nothing more to give next season.”

Connor, who scored 46 tries in 219 games for Bordeaux-Begles, added: “Now the time has come for surfing.”