SYDNEY (Kyodo) Japan international flyhalf Andrew Miller said Friday he will retire at the end of this season and return to New Zealand.
"I've played in Japan for six years now and I think the time has come to end my rugby career and go home and do something new," said the 31-year-old whose current contract with Japanese corporate side Kobe Steel expires next March.
Miller has bought a kiwi-fruit orchard with his father-in-law near the small town of Te Puke, southwest of Auckland, and although he has no experience in horticulture he said he is "looking forward" to giving it a try.
Miller joined Kobe Steel in 1998 and played a key role in helping it win back-to-back national championships in 2000 and 2001.
He was first called up to the national team in 2002 and has played in all three of Japan's pool B games at the ongoing World Cup in Australia.
Miller scored all of his team's points and their only try in Thursday's 41-13 loss to Fiji.