Wales trailblazer Lake announces retirement

Wales stalwart Kerin Lake has announced her retirement from rugby at the age of 35.

A trailblazer of the women’s game, Lake balanced motherhood with rugby during the amateur days before becoming a full-time professional.

She became a mainstay in the Wales midfield alongside Hannah Dallavalle after making her Test debut against Scotland in the 2011 Six Nations.

Lake took a break from the sport in 2014 following the birth of her son, before returning a year later.

A veteran of two World Cup campaigns, her 54th and final Test appearance came against Canada in last year’s tournament in Salford.

Lake began her rugby journey at Neath Athletic and went on to enjoy success with Ospreys before moving to Gloucester-Hartpury in 2020, where she won two Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) titles.

Lake’s international career had been ravaged by injury, but her grit and determination saw her make comeback after comeback.

She achieved her target of being fit for last summer’s World Cup, but a shoulder injury suffered in the pool game against Canada proved the final blow.

In keeping with her modesty, Lake chose to announce her retirement on social media, with little fuss.

“After a lot of thought, the time has come for me to step away from the game that has given me so much,” she wrote.

“Rugby has been a part of my life longer than I can count. It has shaped who I am.

“I’m incredibly grateful to all the coaches I’ve had along the way. Thank you for your guidance, belief and for pushing me to be better every single day.

“To the management and medical staff, your hard work behind the scenes never goes unnoticed and I truly couldn’t have done this without you.

“To my team-mates, past and present, thank you for the memories, friendships, the battles and the laughs. It’s been an honour to stand beside you representing something bigger than ourselves.”