Harlequins have confirmed Joe Launchbury, one of English rugby’s most decorated and respected forwards, is retiring .

He will retire from professional rugby union at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Launchbury, who first arrived at the Twickenham Stoop in 2023, currently holds 50 caps for the Quins.

Throughout his time at The Stoop, the former Wasps stalwart played a pivotal role in the forward pack’s dynamics