“My overall feeling is pride,” he told the Tigers' website., external
“When I started, I wanted to make my dad proud more than anyone else, I wanted to play for England and the Lions with my dad in the crowd and, eventually, I wanted to share a moment with my kids on the field.
“I can say I did all of those things.”
Watson moved to the Tigers from Premier League rivals Bath in 2022 and made just 23 appearances for the East Midlands club during the injury-plagued final years of his career.
Leicester described the winger as “one of the most exciting rugby talents of his generation” as well as “one of the modern greats of English rugby”.
Watson, who spent nine years with Bath after first arriving at London Irish, last appeared for the national team in the summer of 2023.
England coach Steve Borthwick, under whom Watson also played at the Tigers, said the player “is to be congratulated on a fantastically successful career”.
“He is a humble, hard-working professional who has universal admiration and admiration for the game,” Borthwick said.
“Anthony not only brought his incredible talent to an England shirt every time he played, but he was also a player who was extremely proud to represent his country.”
