Rugby star Sheridan targets wine trade

Former England rugby player Andrew Sheridan has announced he is retiring from the sport with plans to “forge a new career” in the wine trade.

The 34-year-old announced his retirement with immediate effect on Tuesday, attributing it to a neck injury, and added that he now plans to enter the wine trade.

Sheridan has made no secret of his love of wine, regularly tweeting about his personal taste in wine and experience of the industry.

It’s not known which area of the trade Sheridan is looking to target, however he is set to undertake his diploma in wine at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) from January.

A statement posted on his management company’s website said: “Andrew, 34, has failed to recover from the neck injury he sustained last season playing for Toulon and the subsequent operation he underwent, back in February. Capped 40 times by England and twice by the British and Irish Lions, Andrew will now focus on completing his qualifications in wine before looking to forge a new career in the trade.”

Following the announcement Sheridan tweeted this message:

— Andrew Sheridan (@aj_sheridan) September 30, 2014

Sheridan, who won the last of his 40 England caps at the 2011 World Cup, was part of the England team who reached the 2007 World Cup final.

The loose-head prop twice toured with the British and Irish Lions and won the Heineken Cup with Toulon in 2013.