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PARIS - France captain Raphael Ibanez will announce the end of his international career tonight (NZT), sources close to the Wasps hooker told Reuters.
"Raphael will give a press conference in Dax tomorrow (Thursday), he will talk about his future as an international player and is set to call it a day," the sources said.
Ibanez, 34, has 98 caps, a record for an international hooker and is a veteran of three World Cups. He was born and learned his rugby in Dax south of Bordeaux.
He made his first appearance for his country on March 16 1996 against Wales and his last when he was handed a yellow card and did not retake the field during the third-place playoff which France lost to Argentina at the 2007 World Cup.
His also won four Five and Six Nations championships, including two grand slams and a European Cup with Wasps.
- REUTERS