TIM VISSER has called time on his Scotland international rugby career after scoring 14 tries in his 33 appearances in the navy-blue jersey.
The 30-year-old Harlequins winger was born in the Netherlands and qualified to play for Scotland through the three-year residence rule in 2012, making his debut against Fiji on that year’s summer tour. Coincidentally, his last Scotland appearance came against Fiji on the summer tour of 2017.
“I feel now is the time to say goodbye to international rugby and concentrate on my club career,” said Visser.
“Playing for Scotland has been the biggest honour of my life. I feel it has been even more special by not being my country of birth but where I had grown to call home.
“Being asked to play for a top nation in world rugby and being accepted by my team-mates as one of their own has been incredible.
“I can still remember my home debut against the All Blacks as if it were yesterday and the emotions that it brought me.
“However, international rugby brings many challenges and, with a young family, the time away from home has been hard.
“I also feel that Scotland is in a fantastic place with some great young talent coming through and now is my time to free up the space for them to develop.”
Visser spent five seasons with Edinburgh before joining Harlequins in 2015. He signed a two-year contract extension with the London club in January.
He was fit and spent periods training with the squad, but was not selected for Scotland during their Autumn Test schedule and the Six Nations.
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“I’d like to pay tribute to Tim who made and excellent impact on Scotland and did very well at an international level for his adopted country,” said Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend.
“Obviously it’s disappointing that we won’t be able to call on his services for the next couple of seasons, but we have a number of players that are competing hard and have come through in that position over the past 12 months who have an opportunity now that Tim is no longer available to Scotland.
“We wish him all the best with his club career.”
Jack signs on
Meanwhile, Ruaridh Jackson has signed a one-year contract extension with Glasgow Warriors after a successful return to the club during the summer. The 30-year-old utility-back, who has been deployed at full-back by Dave Rennie this year, has enjoyed a new lease office since returning north a three year sabbatical in the English Premiership.
Warriors also confirmed this week that hooker Pat MacArthur is retiring at the end of the season. He is one of seven players leaving the club at the end of the season, with Ryan Grant, Richie Vernon, Fin Russell, Leonardo Sarto and Samulea Vunisa also moving on.
Horne clears up at awards ceremony
Scrum-half George Horne was McCrea Financial Services Player of the Season and Land Rover Young Player of the Season at the Glasgow Warriors annual Awards Dinner last night. The Denholm Oilfield Services Players’ Player of the Season award was jointly presented to Sam Johnson and Ruaridh Jackson, with the pair tied following a squad vote.
The full list oaf award winners is below –
McCrea Financial Services Player of the Season – George Horne
Denholm Oilfield Services Players’ Player of the Season – Sam Johnson/Ruaridh Jackson
Land Rover Young Player of the Season – George Horne
Capital Document Solutions Most Improved Player of the Season – Matt Fagerson
The Famous Grouse Coaches Award – Chris Fusaro
Harper Macleod Test Player of the Season – Jonny Gray
Al Kellock Leadership Award, sponsored by The Malcolm Group – Callum Gibbins/Peter Horne
SP Energy Networks Community Club of the Season – Dumfries Saints
Savills Try of the Season – Tommy Seymour v Exeter Chiefs
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Regarding Visser, I feel that a player who obtains his international qualification through residency should lose that qualification if he no longer lives in the country.