Joe Worsley Retires

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15719266.stm

A proper grafter and whilst never pretty to watch, was a good solid dependable player and a fierce and committed tackler. We could do with more like him in the England set up. You don't win 78 caps by just being "alright". Enjoy your rest Wurzel

Again, like Moody no big surprise as he always put body on line for the cause as they say.

That was certainly the case against us few seasons back when he man marked Roberts out of the game and tacklied himself to a standstill.

Good luck to him for future.

Not a surprise as he was a player who put his body on the line. A fine player - he perhaps was not World class at any one skill hence why despite the caps he was never first choice.


In so many ways Worsley symbolises what went wrong with England post 2003.
It was players like him - in the squad and starting to play more regularly - that we needed to kick on and become the core of the team. Instead he amassed 78 caps, becoming the second most capped English BR forward, yet was in and out more often than Berlusconi at a bunga bunga party.
From Woodward through Robinson, Ashton and Johnson the development of the England team has been sadly lacking since 2003.

In 2007 he definitely won the Viagra award for coming back harder and stronger. He was a tackling revelation and contributed to England´s run to the final. However, his selection at 7 along with Moody was a symptom of England´s inability to find specialist players and the right balance of players.

Croft, Easter, Wood, Haskell, Worsley are all good enough players in their own right. It´s how though they work in combination with others and to me you need to go a long way back to see an England backrow combination for example that was better than the sum of its individual parts.

All the best for the big guy. He always reminded me of Robocop with that headband around him and he pretty much tackled like I imagined Robocop would tackle.

I hope he has a 'curry night'. The fans normally organise it. Bit of a tradition for players who have to retire at Wasps, and for those in their benefit seasons.

Ibanez's curry night in Ealing was legendary....

"Gotta get some decent food down these frogs"

Good player Worsley. Not an England "great", but certainly a Wasps one.

The game I'll remember him for wasn't his comeback for England against Wales (seems to be forgotten generally that England lost that game), but rather his splendid performance against Toulouse in the HC final. He and Shaw were absolutely awesome that day, one of the best matches I've seen live.

Wasps will certainly miss him.

Yup. Just a legend at Wasps, and part of our own 'Holy Trinity' alongside Paul Volley and Dallaglio.

Against Perpignan away in 2004 and Castres away in 2007, Worsley put in match winning performances in two brutal final Pool games that saw us win through to the q/fs. We won the HC in both years.

The 2004 final was his finest moment though. I didn't think we had an earthly chance in that game, against Toulouse. And I was stunned, and almost disbelieving, for hours afterwards.

I'm sad to say BIG Phil Vickery has also retired.

HERSH wrote:I'm sad to say BIG Phil Vickery has also retired.

Really...aw never....

Is it true Will Carling has decided to hang up his boots aswell?