Former Springbok prop Cobus Visagie will retire from professional rugby at the end of the current season.
Visagie will see out the remainder of the 2008/09 campaign with Saracens before combining a career in finance with a part-time role as a scrum consultant with the Vicarage Road outfit.
"I think you need to recognise when you have had a good run," said Visagie, who won 29 caps for South Africa and is regarded as one of the most powerful scrummagers in world rugby.
"What has kept me going in the past few years is the chance to win some silverware with Saracens and there is still one last chance to do that this season so I want to go out on a high.
”I’ve have had a really good time at the club, but it is right to call it a day and move on to life outside of rugby."
The 35-year-old qualified chartered account intends to turn his attentions to a career away from the sport and admits he has no desire to take over the coaching reigns at a professional club.
He is looking forward to retaining his links with Saracens by passing on his knowledge of the set piece, however, something that he has already been doing throughout this season so far.
"Having studied for six years and been working in finance for seven years, I’m not going to throw that away and that is where my future will lie,” added the former Western Province and Stormers star.
"I’ve enjoyed the transition to coaching this season but it’s not my ambition to become a head coach of a team. However, I do want to continue with scrum coaching and to continue that as a consultant with Saracens is something I am looking forward to. I’ve developed a good working relationship with Saracens coaches Alex Sanderson and Paul Gustard this year and I’m looking forward to continuing that next season.
"I wanted to play a big part when I came to Saracens to improve a club which was 11th in the league when I arrived. I’d like to think I’ve been able to play a small part in making Saracens a force to be reckoned with in the set piece and helping develop the young players at the club. Hopefully people will think that I gave more than I took.”
