After 14 years and 252 appearances, Chris Pennell of Worcester Warriors at Sixways has come to an end, it has been confirmed.
A career that began with his debut in Worcester in 2007 against Bath, the 34-year-old Pennell was crowned by England on their summer tour of New Zealand in 2014 and is eliminated with 426 points, including 43 attempts for his name.
Pennell will not play in front of fans for the last time following Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership game against Gloucester Rugby being canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Gloucester warehouse.
But the full-back will leave with many fond memories of his time at the club.
“I’m incredibly proud of my time at the club and I’m very happy to have done what I’ve been doing with Worcester for so many years,” he said.
“It’s a really exciting time for the club with all the changes that have been made and I hope the success we all want is just around the corner.
“It will be nice to see this success off the field and try to give back some of the incredible support I have had during my career as a player and give it to the people who will now take the club forward.
“The owners really supported me and told me that there will always be a place for me here where I can add value, so watch this space.
“The romantic in me thinks it would be nice to end my playing career at Sixways, but it’s also exciting for me to explore other opportunities. It’s been quite a number of years since I thought of playing for a different team and with my body, but more importantly, my head is in a really good place, now it’s time to move on .
“It’s an exciting time for Worcester, but I’m also looking forward to new challenges and experiences.”
During his time at Warriors, Pennell became a fan favorite and a great ambassador for the club, who was rewarded with a testimonial in 2018/19.
“I feel really humbled by the amount of support I have personally received over the years. There are a number of supporters that I got to know well and also many of our sponsors, especially through the testimonial season, ”said Pennell.
“I was very fortunate to have conversations and to see firsthand how much passion in our community always matches and is sometimes even exceeded with my own.
“The support in Worcester is phenomenal and I have so many memories of the atmosphere they have created over the years and some of those close games we won are thanks to them alone.
“I am so grateful for the support that has been given to me – the people in the stands and those I meet around town who wish you all the best – which made my memories of Worcester so special.”