Ex-Scotland captain John Barclay refuses to give up hope of playing again

But back-row forward is realistic about prospects

John Barclay was released by Edinburgh last month. Picture: Bruce White / SNS

Former Scotland captain John Barclay has not given up of pulling his boots on again but admits it could be an unlikely prospect in the current climate.

The 33-year-old back-rower, who won 76 caps for his country, retired from international rugby after last year’s World Cup in Japan and was released by Edinburgh at the start of May, leaving his Guinness Pro14 hopes unfinished after the competition was suspended due to the pandemic.

Speaking to the BBC Rugby Podcast, Barclay said there had been talk of extending contracts for any potential resumption in late summer/autumn but that was ruled out.

“It’s given me a nudge to think I would like to play a couple more games,” he said. “But recruitment has dried up. Budgets are getting cut, all the clubs are losing money. And with players off for so long they will have full and fit squads.”

Barclay played just 15 times in two seasons with Edinburgh after a ruptured Achilles wrecked his first season. The bulk of of his career was spent with Glasgow and Scarlets. He revealed had lined up a job with a “leadership development company”, but would prefer a different end to his 15-year rugby career that it to “peter and fizzle it out”.