Conrad Smith retires from rugby

The former All Blacks centre Conrad Smith has confirmed he will hang up his boots at the end of the current northern season and take up a role as an advocate for players.

Smith, who has been playing for Pau in France, played 94 Tests for the All Blacks between 2004-2015, winning World Cups in 2011 and 2015, before leaving New Zealand and seeing out his career at Pau.

"I'm going to finish up this year, and I think I will spend a year or two either doing a little bit of work with International Rugby Players, but also within rugby itself and the coaching set-up, and see what I like," Smith told Irish website The42.

"While I was playing, it was cool that I could do it [working with the players' associations], and it was something a little bit different outside of rucks and the tactics of the game."

36 year old Smith debuted for Wellington in2003 and the Hurricanes a year later before going on to play 126 games for the Super Rugby club.