Ally Hogg: Newcastle Falcons' ex-Scotland international back-rower retires

Ally Hogg moved to Newcastle Falcons from Edinburgh in 2010

Newcastle Falcons' former Scotland international back-row forward Ally Hogg has announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old, who won the last of his 48 Scotland caps in 2009, has played an instrumental part in helping the Falcons reach the play-offs.

His match-winning try at Leicester last week proved decisive in securing a semi-final spot for the first time.

"I've had a good run," Hogg said of his career, which started with Edinburgh.

"Things didn't go so well at the start with Newcastle but it's culminating with a place in the Premiership semi-finals, and the progression we've seen across all the competitions this season makes it the obvious time to bow out on a high. Now it's on to the next chapter."

Hogg, who has featured 175 times for Newcastle over eight seasons at Kingston Park, said the early period of his career in the North East was a "dogfight" with the club struggling at the bottom of the table before being relegated in 2012.

He helped the club immediately win promotion back to the top flight and will play his final home game for Newcastle on Saturday against fellow top-four finishers Wasps.