Rugby: Somerville ends career

Greg Somerville played his final Super match on Friday. Photo / Getty Images

Former All Black prop Greg Somerville is stepping into the unknown after bringing the curtain down on his illustrious 12-year career in the Melbourne Rebels Super 15 loss to the Western Force on Friday night.

Somerville, 33, the second most capped prop in New Zealand history with 66 tests to his name behind Tony Woodcock's 74, has no immediate plans other than hanging up his boots and remaining in Melbourne for the foreseeable future.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, so I'm going to take 12 months to think about the future and make the right decision," Somerville told the Herald On Sunday. "I want to stay involved in rugby but whether that's coaching or something else, I haven't really decided. I knew I wasn't going to play forever.

"My oldest daughter, Paige, is five years old and she's settled at school in Melbourne so whatever happens, we are going to stay here until at least Christmas because the kids have had a fair bit of disruption in their lives with me moving around playing rugby. We might go back to New Zealand after that but we haven't made any definite plans at this stage."

A late Willie Ripia penalty saw the Force pip the Rebels 27-24 at AAMI Stadium. Playing to farewell Somerville, fellow former All Black Kevin O'Neill and former Wallaby halfback Sam Cordingley, the Rebels couldn't prevent the Force from a deserved win - although the Rebels came close after a try to Stirling Mortlock that looked as though it had come from a Rebels' knock-on.

The Force were themselves farewelling former Auckland and Hurricanes winger David Smith (who scored a key try) and Wallaby star James O'Connor - although the latter did not play on Friday because of suspension. O'Connor has signed for the Rebels next year.

The Rebels finished rock bottom of the Super 15 ladder with just three wins from 16 matches in their inaugural Super Rugby season but Somerville believes it's unfair to blame the new franchise for undermining the quality of the Southern Hemisphere competition.

"The Rebels have got a really good future," Somerville insists. "Okay, we haven't got what we wanted as a team this year, which is a few more wins, but it's been a season of character building for the guys and the players know they've got a lot to work on. I think a couple of good signings will make a big difference next season so it's unfair for people to think the Rebels have made Super Rugby weaker."

Somerville returned to Super Rugby with the Rebels this season after 13 appearances in Britain's Guinness Premiership for Gloucester following a decade-long Super Rugby career for Canterbury.