From: www.foxsports.com.au

Front-row veteran Young retires
By staff writers and wires
July 20, 2006


AUSTRALIA'S second most capped prop, Bill Young, has today announced his retirement from rugby.

Young, who played 46 Tests for the Wallabies after making his Test debut against France in Paris in 2000, has decided to hang up his boots after nine years in the professional game having sought medical advice after experiencing numbness in his left arm and hand.

The problem was linked to a neck problem that had troubled him during the Super 14 season with doctors saying if he continued playing he could suffer a permanent disability in his left hand.

Incredibly, all 46 of Young's Tests were played in the starting XV.

In nine seasons for the Brumbies, Young has the incredible record of missing just three matches to injury, but finally succumbed to the wear and tear of a long career at the top level.

Young said he had enjoyed a great ride.

"If you had told me 10 years ago that I would play 46 Tests for the Wallabies and over 100 Super 14 games for the Brumbies, I would have been delirious," he said.

"It has been a great ride with a lot of very good memories and I leave the game with lifelong friendships in Australia and around the world."

"It will be tough to leave a game that has been my life for the past ten years. It is early days yet, but I will probably turn my energies to our family pubs, the Concord Hotel and Wiseman's Ferry Hotel."

Born and raised in the Kingsgrove district of Sydney, Young was an Australia Under-21 representative in 1995.

After playing his junior rugby with West Harbour, he switched to his beloved Eastwood, where he played through to the senior ranks.

In 1998 he was signed by the Brumbies and got his first taste of professional rugby on a development tour of Europe.

His Super 12 debut followed midway through the 1998 season against the Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, beginning a stellar international career as a specialist loose-head prop.

Young became just the sixth player in tournament history to raise 100 Super rugby caps, clocking up the milestone in his last professional match against the Crusaders in the final round of this year's Super 14.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew ***an said that Young would be sorely missed by the Brumbies.

"Bill has been an integral part of the Brumbies for almost a decade so this is a particularly sad day for his teammates and the entire Brumbies organisation," ***an said.

"Bill has been a fantastic leader both on and off the field.

He was very much the spiritual leader of the team and is passionate about the Brumbies. Bill worked hard to maintain the culture and ethos of the team," added ***an.

Wallabies Coach John Connolly said that Young's retirement marks a great loss to Australian rugby.

"Bill has been a great soldier for Australia and has given great service to the Wallabies for the last six years," Connolly said.

"He has had a great career and will be a big loss for Australian Rugby."

Asked about the Wallabies current scrummaging problems Young backed new prop forwards Guy Shepherdson, Greg Holmes and Rodney Blake saying they were the future of the Australia front row and would be in their prime come the 2007 World Cup.

He also backed Shepherdson and Holmes to perform better against New Zealand in Brisbane next Saturday, despite the All Blacks forwards dominating in the first Tri-Nations Test in Christchurch.

With AAP


FOX SPORTS

This is a sad thing to see.. and congrats to Bill on a stellar career.. you have always been an amazing player who always gave 100% and not only were you a great player... but you were also a great guy and someone I really enjoyed meeting after the Games at Eastwood.

A leader a half you were, perhaps not captain all the time... but you were always marshalling the troops and getting the job done... it was a great front row in its hey day, and it was led by you and Eales... well done for that achievement there Bill.

You will be missed by all, not just the Eastwood fans... and your service to Rugby will never be forgotten... I wish you all the best in retirement and I hope you can enjoy the rest your life, whatever you decide to do..