Alun Wyn Jones was given a standing ovation by Toulon and Clermont fans as he signed off his last-ever game of rugby on Saturday.
The Wales legend was signed by the Top 14 outfit as a World Cup joker to act as cover during the tournament but will not be retained until the end of the season, as was previously mooted.
Instead, 38-year-old Jones is hanging up his boots and on Saturday evening laced them up for the final time at Clermont's Stade Marcel-Michelin. He was named as skipper and was honoured by the home team before the match and presented with a Clermont jersey.
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In the 66th minute of the fixture, with the game in the balance at 24-23, the former Wales skipper was replaced by team-mate Adrien Warion and those in attendance saluted the ex-British Lions captain as he made his way from the pitch. He returned the act by clapping in appreciation.
Toulon's official X account wrotre: "Alun-Wyn Jones is replaced by Adrien Warion. He is given a standing ovation by Marcel-Michelin.
"Thank you and congratulations for your great, exceptional career Mr. Jones."
In a twist to events, Jones was called upon to return to the field with two minutes to go, replacing Marius Domon. The away side claimed the win 27-30 in tense circumstances.
Jones admitted in the build-up to the match that he would be emotional when it all ends, saying: "I owe a lot to the club. Four months might seem like a long time, but time flew by! I am enormously grateful to have had this opportunity.
"I think staying in one place for too long makes it feel like work, but here the players, the people at the club, the fans and the city have rekindled my flame, my love for this sport. I think it was important to me and my family. It gave me a different perspective on life and the game."
He said no other offers have come to him to continue playing and that it was his decision to end his career. "No (other offers), because my decision to stop in November had been made since the end of last season," he added.
Jones won 158 caps for Wales and a further 12 for the Lions on four tours between 2009-2021, making him the world’s most-capped player with 170 caps. He captained Wales 48 times, and announced his international retirement last summer after being named in Wales' wider World Cup training squad.
