Rugby - Highest capped All Black Whitelock retires from professional rugby

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool A - New Zealand v Italy - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - September 29, 2023 New Zealand's Sam Whitelock during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Paul Childs/File Photo

(Reuters) - Sam Whitelock, the most capped player in All Blacks history, will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season with his club Pau in France, the 35-year-old lock said on Tuesday.

Whitelock played 153 test matches since his international debut in 2010 and was part of the All Blacks sides that won the World Cup in 2011 and 2015.