Warriors back-row forward Matt Cox has announced that he will retire from rugby at the end of the current season.
Cox was 15 when he signed his first Academy contract at Sixways in June 2004. He has since made 102 appearances in two spells with Warriors, split by four seasons with Gloucester Rugby, including a try-scoring Premiership debut against Wasps at Adams Park in April 2008.
During his time with Warriors, Cox was capped by England from Under-18s to Under-20s levels, and he also represented England on the World Sevens circuit.
Rugby has opened doors for Cox that he could have only imagined of growing up.
“When you are a kid you have posters on the wall and dream one day it might be you, Worcester helped me achieve that boyhood dream. I got to wear an England badge and to play in the best league in the world, I really enjoyed those moments.” said Cox.
“I’ve seen the club grow and watched Sixways change from just the temporary stands where the East Stand now is, three pitches where the main car park is and the surface in the indoor barn being sand and horsehair.
“From coming out of the Championship for the first time in the year that I joined to becoming an established Premiership club.”
Those achievements were just dreams when Cox started his rugby journey in the minis and juniors section of Woodrush, his local club in south Birmingham.
“Coming from where I started in Birmingham, I don’t know what route my life would’ve taken without rugby,” he said.
“I owe a lot of those early years to my family, especially my mum and sister for dragging them around the mini and juniors circuit, drinking lukewarm cups of tea out of polystyrene cups. Without their support I doubt I’d have made it to professional level.
“Rugby has opened doors for me, and I am very grateful for that and to the people who took a punt on me – Ian Blondell, Gary Meechan, Andrew Stanley, Nigel Redman and Carl Hogg and many other coaches I have played under over the years.
“Rugby has also developed me as a person. When I was 16, I had tunnel vision and I wanted to take on the world. Seventeen years later I have more experience, I’m wiser and I have ambitions which I don’t think I would’ve had without rugby.
“I always had ambition but never a direction or real purpose and I definitely think the lifestyle experience of rugby has turned me from a boy into a man.”
Cox, 33, has already planned for life after rugby having already established two of his own companies,
“Once you get into your thirties you know that your rugby career is coming to an end, the dream has to stop at some stage,” he said.
“You have a shelf life in rugby which is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing to have the chance to enjoy that lifestyle, but it’s a curse because it’s short-lived.
“I learnt that from Andy Hazell at Gloucester. When I was there, he was in his twilight years and he’d set up his own business installing home cinemas.
“The business was so successful that it started to push rugby out of his life. It’s a lesson for a lot of youngsters that rugby is not going to be forever. You are not going to retire at 30 and then do nothing. You are going to have to try and find something that you enjoy doing, that gets you out of bed in the morning.”
Although Cox may not be a Warriors player any more after the final Gallagher Premiership match of the season against Gloucester at Sixways on June 12 he intends to continue to support the club,
“Warriors changed my life, and I will be forever grateful to the people that gave me the opportunities I have had,” he said.
“I want to thank all the supporters who’ve encouraged me over the years, I like to think I gave my all in the games and feel grateful for having had the chance to do so in front of you all.
“I’ll no longer be one of the boys on the pitch but will keep winding the lads up off the pitch! I’ll no doubt be trying to sneak into a hospitality box to watch them, talking rubbish with some of the other old boys, swapping protein shakes for pints!”
Cox has not played since November when he sustained a foot injury in the pre-season friendly against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens but his qualities have been appreciated at first-hand by Warriors Head Coach Jonathan Thomas.
“I want to wish Coxy all the best in retirement. I played with him here and I know first-hand what a great and loyal club man he has been,” Thomas said.
“He’s a fierce competitor and a tough boy who has worked hard and played hard. A real uncompromising player who has served the club very well over the years.
“I know he is already sorted for life after rugby, he’s prepared well, he’s a good businessman and wheeler-dealer so I’m sure he will be successful in his new ventures.”
Cox made his 100th appearance for Warriors when he came off the bench against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park last August and will end his career at Sixways with eight tries to his name.
“Coxy is a homegrown player, who has given tremendous service to the club,” said Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons.
“It was really terrific to see him get his 100th cap at Exeter last season.
“Coxy will be missed by all of us here at Warriors. We wish him all the best for the future and can assure him that he will always be very welcome here at Sixways.”