Northampton Saints full-back Nick Beal announced today (Wed) that he will retire from professional rugby at the end of this season.
The former British Lion, who also played in 15 tests for England, will leave Northampton Saints after 13 years at the Franklin's Gardens club.
Nick played his first game for Saints against Bedford in the 1991/92 season. Since then, he has clocked up 263 more appearances and scored 72 tries, 21 conversions, 21 penalties and four drop-goals - a total of 400 points to date.
The 33-year-old father-of-two captained the Saints squad that won the London Pride Middlesex Sevens trophy in August last year and played in the Powergen Cup finals in 2003 and 2002, and the Tetley's Bitter Cup final of 2000, but missed the victorious Heineken Cup in the same year with a double fracture to his right leg.
Nick, however, was a part of the England team that won the World Sevens title in 1993 alongside club team mates Tim Rodber and Matt Dawson.
Nick has played under five coaches or directors of rugby in Wayne Shelford, Glenn Ross, Ian McGeechan, John Steele and Wayne Smith.
Operations director John Steele said today: "Nick has got better and better through his career and has played some of his best rugby in the last couple of seasons. Nick and Jo have contributed hugely to the Saints on and off the pitch. He has been a superb role model and has always been utterly professional."
Head coach Wayne Smith said: "The big thing about Nick is although he has known he was going to retire, he has remained curious and prepared to keep learning. It is always a battle when someone has decided to retire to make sure they are still enthusiastic. Nick has been coming back from injury lately and has shown real hunger in the last two games he has played in, which shows what kind of a player and a man he is. He still badly wants to finish on a high for the club.
"The other aspect to Nick is he is still the fastest player in the squad as our fitness tests proved a few weeks ago. That's pretty incredible for a guy who is about to retire."
Nick was rewarded for his dedication to Northampton Saints with two testimonial events last year, but was persuaded to stay on for another season after being voted Player of the Year by the Chronicle & Echo.
The Beal family - his wife Jo and his two sons Thomas and Joshua - will remain in Northampton where Nick works as an independent financial adviser for David Williams.
Nick said: "My family and I have really enjoyed our time with Northampton Saints and have made some great friends during the last 13 years.
"I have been lucky enough to have worked with world class players and coaches throughout my career.
"There have been lots of highs and a few lows and I am proud to have played a small part in the development of the Saints from the amateur era to the world class professional set-up which the players enjoy today and I am grateful to the club for giving me that opportunity.
"I would like to thank all the Saints fans for their tremendous support over the years and I look forward to seeing many of you again at the Gardens when I bring my two boys to the Gardens to watch the Saints go marching on."