PARIS, France, Dec 22 – All Black forward Jerome Kaino, a double World Cup winner who plays for Toulouse, told French radio on Tuesday that he planned to retire at the end of the season.
“One hundred percent, this is my last year as a player,” the 37-year-old flanker told RMC. “All players announcing their retirement say the same thing: ‘you know when it’s time’.
“New players are coming up and in particular a new generation facing the future. I’m ready to hang up my boots.”
Kaino, who was born in American Samoa, won 81 New Zealand caps and started in the 2011 and 2015 world cup finals. He arrived at Toulouse in 2018 and captained the club to victory in the 2019 Top 14 final. His contract runs to the end of this season.
He has not played regularly this season and was not in the squad for the one Champions Cup match Toulouse have played this season.
Kaino, who said he would like to coach when he announced his international retirement in May, told RMC he would like to stay with Toulouse.
“I would like to work with the Stade Toulousain, for the future of this game. For the players who are just starting out, the new generation, to pass on to them my passion and knowledge and everything I’ve learned,” Kaino said.
