Leinster and Ireland back row forward Dan Leavy is to retire from rugby with immediate effect at the age of 27 on medical grounds.
Leavy suffered a serious knee injury in March 2019 and has decided to call it a day following medical advice.
He made 79 appearances for Leinster since his debut in October 2014 and was a key part of the province's Champions Cup winning side of 2018.
He scored 17 tries in blue and made his final appearance against Ulster in March.
He was also capped 11 times for Ireland and won the Grand Slam at Twickenham in 2018. He never lost a game while playing for his country.
Leavy told Leinster rugby that he did his best to come back, but was fighting a losing battle.
“I have done everything I can to come back from the knee injury I suffered in 2019 but unfortunately I can’t do any more or ask any more of my body.
“I’d like to thank Andy Williams, my surgeon, and Karl Denvir, my physio in Leinster, for all that they have done for me in the years since then. I can take solace from the fact that I tried everything over the last three years.
“From the early days in Old Belvedere to my time in St Michael’s College, all I wanted was to pull on a Leinster Rugby jersey. And then when you achieve that, it’s an Ireland jersey.
“I am very proud of all that I achieved in my short time as a professional.
“Some amazing highs with my brothers in blue and in green and I am beyond grateful for those days and those moments especially the highs of 2018 in Bilbao, the Aviva Stadium and Twickenham.
“More than that I am proud of how I carried myself, in particular over the last few years, and I hope I represented my club, my country, my family and friends to the best of my abilities in those years. I am beyond grateful to them all for their support and in particular to my mum and dad, Eilish and Donal, my sister, Rachel, and my brother, Adam.
"I am also very grateful to Leo Cullen. Leo has been an unbelievable support to me over the last few years. On the field, and off, and I cannot thank him enough.
“Not many people get to enjoy and experience what I have over the last 10 years representing my school, my club and my country.
“This is not the end I had hoped for, but as I look back, at the highs and the lows, they have all been shared with the best teammates, family and friends around me, and what more could I ask for?”
