Edinburgh club captain Simon Cross has admitted defeat in his long battle with knee problems and will retire at the end of this season.

The 29-year-old, who has been plagued by injury during the last two years, will turn his attention to coaching.

“My life has been in rugby and I’ve loved the time I have spent at Edinburgh. I’ve been very proud to be part of the team,” said the flanker, who was an unused substitute for Scotland against Wales in 2004. “I could not contemplate walking away and not putting anything back into it. I hope coaching will be my passion now.”

Head coach Rob Moffat added: “Simon has been an influential figure in the club and, in many ways, a model professional. He has made a great effort to build the club ethos at Edinburgh.

“It has been as frustrating for us as it has been for him that injuries have restricted his involvement on the pitch in the last couple of seasons, but I am sure that the same application he brought to his playing career will feature as he takes on a greater role in coaching.”