Hooker MacArthur retires to head into construction

Glasgow hooker Pat MacArthur is to retire at the end of the season, Warriors have announced.

The 31-year-old joined the club in 2007 and has gone on to rack up 165 appearances.

The forward – capped six times by Scotland – was part of the squad which lifted the PRO12 title in 2015, although he did not play in the Grand Final triumph over Munster.

MacArthur now hopes to move on to the next chapter of his life as he targets a career in the construction industry.

He said: “It’s been a hard decision but I’ve had a great stint doing what I love. I believe it’s the correct time for me to move on.

“I don’t live too far from Scotstoun, so I hope to be able to come down and support the team. It’ll be different sitting in the stands and not being able to do anything to help.

“I’ve continually looked at a double career path and now I’ll hopefully have the opportunity to move into construction or project management after studying civil engineering at university, which will provide me with a different challenge.

“The things that stand out for me at Glasgow are the things the fans don’t see. The camaraderie in the changing rooms, the feeling before a game when you shake hands. At that moment you know you’re both about to go out on to the pitch and put your bodies on the line.

“Glasgow is a club which has given me so much. I played my first game in 2007 as a 20-year-old coming out of university and I’ve gone through my whole adult life since then. The boys within the club and the club itself have supported me through all of that, which has meant a lot to me.”