Chris Cusiter: Sale Sharks' former Scotland and British & Irish Lions scrum-half retires
- Published
Sale Sharks scrum-half Chris Cusiter has retired from rugby union to start a Scotch whisky business in Los Angeles.
Cusiter won 70 Test caps for Scotland from 2004 to 2014, and also played six times for the British and Irish Lions during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.
The 33-year-old joined Sale in 2014, after spells with Glasgow Warriors, Border Reivers and Perpignan.
"This is the right time to hang up my boots and move onto the next challenge," he told the Sale website., external
"Playing for Scotland 70 times was more than I could have dreamed of growing up learning how to play rugby at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen.
"The memories of playing for Scotland and touring New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions will be with me forever, and I am grateful for all the incredible experiences I have been afforded through rugby.
"I've been fascinated by the Scotch whisky industry for the past few years and firmly believe that it is Scotland's finest and greatest export and something to be very proud of."
Cusiter was part of the Scotland side which reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup in France, and later won the Top 14 title with Perpignan in 2009.
Six other unlikely sporting career changes
Steve Davis - DJ: Six-time snooker world champion Davis retired in April having won 28 ranking titles in his 38-year career. The 58-year-old is now playing gigs as a techno DJ, going by the moniker DJ Thundermuscle.
Arjan de Zeeuw - detective: Former Barnsley, Wigan and Portsmouth centre-half De Zeeuw hung up his boots in 2009 to start a new life as a detective in his native Netherlands.
Adrian Dantley - crossing guard: After 15 years in the National Basketball Association which saw him inducted into the Hall of Fame, Dantley has enjoyed a varied post-retirement career, most notably working as a crossing guard outside a school in Maryland.
Jody Scheckter - farmer: The South African 1979 Formula One world champion won 10 Grands Prix between 1972-1980, but now runs an organic farm in Hampshire.
John Chiedozie - Bouncy castle salesman: Ex-Nigeria international Chiedozie enjoyed a 13-year career with clubs including Tottenham, Leyton Orient and Notts County, before setting up a business selling bouncy castles for children's parties.
Rory Fallon - ice cream entrepreneur: Still playing for Bristol Rovers, Fallon has made an early start on planning for life after football. The former New Zealand striker owns a business selling ice cream for businesses and events across Yorkshire and Devon.
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