FIVE DAYS AFTER becoming France’s most-capped prop, legendary tighthead Nicolas Mas has announced he’s retiring from test rugby.
The Montpellier 35-year-old made his 85th appearance for his country in the humiliating defeat to New Zealand on Saturday, passing the record he held jointly with the great Sylvain Marconnet.
He’s the third Frenchman to bring an end to his international career in the wake of the World Cup elimination, with Frederic Michalak announcing his test retirement on Sunday, and Papé joining Mas in finishing his today.
Papé earned 65 caps since making his debut in 2004, regularly standing in as captain in the absence of Thierry Dusatoir.
It was against the All Blacks that Mas started his career for his country back in 2003, but it would be the Six Nations of 2005 before he would win his second cap.
Mas went on to become one of the world’s top tighthead props, in particular between 2008 and 2013.
And despite featuring more regularly as a substitute in the last season following the emergence of Rabah Slimani, Mas broke back into the team to provide stability to the scrum in the latter stages of this year’s Six Nations campaign.
A classic short, stocky tighthead, Mas scored just one try in his 12 year international career, coming in the win against Italy in this World Cup, his 81st cap for his country.
