England and Leicester Tigers winger Anthony Watson has retired from professional rugby union on medical grounds because of a back injury.

The 30-year-old made the last appearance of his career in December and played just seven times for Tigers over the past two seasons because of a multitude of injuries.

A calf injury forced Watson to miss the 2023 World Cup, while the latest in a succession of Achilles issues and a back problem that required surgery limited him to just two games for Leicester last term.

He spoke to BBC Radio Leicester in October about concentrating on playing “pain-free” for Leicester again and said he had no immediate focus on an England recall after enduring a “horrendous road” to recovery.

Watson, who won 56 England caps, has now said he has been told by his surgeon to retire after the back injury he suffered in January 2024 “failed to improve how we thought it would”.

“I don’t want this to be a sob story at all,” Watson said in a video message posted on the England Rugby website., external

“I thoroughly enjoyed my rugby career. I have some of the best memories someone could hope for when they start their career.”

Watson, who earned international honours with the British and Irish Lions and scored 23 tries for England, said he was “proud and blessed” to have had the career he did.

“My overarching feeling is of pride,” he told Tigers’ website., external

“When I started out, I wanted to make my dad more than anyone proud, I wanted to play for England and the Lions with my parents in the crowd and, eventually, wanted to share a moment with my children on the field.

“I can say I’ve done all those things.”

Watson moved to Leicester from Premiership rivals Bath in 2022 and managed just 23 appearances for the East Midlands club during the injury-plagued latter years of his career.

Leicester described the winger as “one of the most electrifying rugby talents of his generation” as well as “one of English rugby’s modern greats”.

Watson, who spent nine years with Bath after first coming through at London Irish, last featured for the national side in the summer of 2023.

England head coach Steve Borthwick, who Watson also played under at Tigers, said the player “is to be congratulated on a fantastically successful career”.

“He is a humble, hard-working professional man who is universally liked and admired in the game,” Borthwick said.

“Anthony not only brought his incredible talent to the England shirt every time he played, but he was also a player who was immensely proud to represent his country.”

BBC Sport rugby union correspondent Chris Jones

Watson retires with over 50 caps and 23 tries – the eighth highest try scorer in English rugby history.

But those statistics don’t tell the full story. At his best, Watson was a player of genuine world-class quality, a starter in a Rugby World Cup final, and a Test British and Irish Lion on two separate tours.

Injuries may have ensured his career ended prematurely, but he will still go down as one of England’s finest.