Scotland
Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter retires to focus on whisky
Tom Hamilton
May 4, 2016

Sale and Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter has announced his retirement from rugby and will now focus his attention on opening a Los Angeles-based business which will focus on selling Scotch whisky. 

Cusiter won 70 caps for Scotland and also toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2005. At domestic level he won the Top 14 title with Perpignan in 2009 and reached the final of the Guinness PRO12 with Glasgow in 2014. 

"As far as my rugby career goes I considered myself privileged to receive a Scotland 'A' cap in 2002," Cusiter said. "If it had ended there at that point then I would have been happy.

"I could never have imagined all the experiences I would be able to have over the next 14 years through rugby -- the places I visited, the stadiums I played in, the people I met and the great friends I made.

"Playing for Scotland 70 times was more than I could have dreamed of growing up learning how to play rugby at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen.

"Some of the greatest times of my life have been spent with team mates in the changing rooms after great victories and I know that it will be difficult to replace those kinds of feelings.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge however. I have always been aware of the finite nature of a career in professional rugby, particularly given some of the injuries I picked up, and this is the right time to hang up my boots and move onto the next challenge.

"Now is the time for me to move forward, to something I have been working on alongside my rugby career."

That next challenge will be selling Scotch in America. Cusiter added: "I've been fascinated by the Scotch whisky industry for the past few years and firmly believe that it is Scotland's finest and greatest export and something to be very proud of. 

"I am excited to be involved with a product that I am so passionate about. We will be building an alcohol retail business based in Los Angeles - specialising in craft beer, fine wine and craft spirits with a big focus on Scotch whisky."

© Tom Hamilton

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