Andy Farrell will hang up his boots at the end of the season © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Andy Farrell

Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership

Teams: England | Saracens

Saracens centre Andy Farrell will retire at the end of the season and take up a position with the club's coaching staff. Dual-code star Farrell, 33, has represented Great Britain at rugby league and England in rugby union during an 18-year playing career and will now look to pass on his experience to the younger players at Sarries, including his son Owen, as their skills coach.

Farrell made his debut for Great Britain aged 18, while playing for Wigan, and became the youngest player to captain the side aged 21. At club level he won five championships and four Challenge Cups before switching codes in 2005. He missed his first season with Saracens through injury but became a regular in the first team after his return to fitness. In 2007 he won eight caps for England, including at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. During the 2008-09 season he has served as Saracens' co-captain alongside England skipper Steve Borthwick.

"My mind still feels as sharp as ever but my body is telling me different things," said Farrell. "Throughout my career I've always prided myself on doing extra training to stay one step ahead of opponents, but I'm now finding myself spending all my time just trying to get right for training rather than trying to be a better player. When that time comes, it is time to stop.

"After 18 years, it will be an emotional moment to play my last game but I'm really excited about the opportunity that Saracens have given to me to move into coaching - something I have always wanted to do. I've always been interested in coaching and I've been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people during my career and I'm looking forward to putting into practice all the knowledge I've gained over the years."

Farrell will move in to the Saracens back-room staff during a time of change at the club, with intense media focus having been placed on their recent South African investment and reports of wide-ranging releases among the playing staff. Farrell is concerning himself with the young English players coming through however, with the likes of Noah Cato and Alex Goode both graduating in to the first team this year.

"There are exciting times ahead at Saracens and I can't wait to work with the players and in particular, the fantastic youngsters that are coming from the club's Academy system," he said. "Already this season we've seen the likes of Alex Goode, Noah Cato and Andy Saull make first team places their own and along with Tom Mercey and Adam Powell, we have a group of young players who are the future of both Saracens and hopefully England. What's even more exciting is that there is another group coming through and it won't be long before we see them breaking into the squad and I can't wait to work with them."