Jim Hamilton: Saracens and former Scotland lock announces retirement

Jim Hamilton helped Saracens to back-to-back European Champions Cup crowns

Saracens and former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton has announced his retirement from rugby at the end of the season.

After helping Sarries retain their European Champions Cup crown on Saturday, Hamilton confirmed this campaign will be his last.

"The time is right. This will be my last season as a rugby player," said the 34 year-old, who won 63 Scotland caps, in a social media post.

"I am honoured to have played this beautiful game for so long."

Hamilton featured in two Rugby World Cups, but called time on his international career after missing out on selection for the 2015 tournament.

As well as back-to-back European titles, the second-row has won successive Aviva Premiership crowns at Saracens, and will play his part in the Allianz Park side's defence of the trophy, which continues with next weekend's semi-final against Exeter Chiefs.

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"It doesn't get much better than that for me personally," Hamilton told BBC Scotland after Saracens clinched the Champions Cup by beating Clermont Auvergne at Murrayfield.

"It's absolutely amazing to be back at Murrayfield, a country that love, where I played for 10 years.

"Clermont are a fantastic team, they've been blitzing people all year in the Champions Cup. Their defence was amazing, you saw five metres out it took a lot to get over the line. They're a quality team over ball.

"But we've been in these positions before - three years ago, we were in a semi-final and lost to Clermont, and the year before that we were in a final against Toulon and lost.

"Now we've done the double because we've been in this situation and the guys are experienced."