The 29-year-old – a star of Scotland’s 2007 Hong Kong 7s side - has seen the last few years of his eight year spell at Murrayfield blighted by persistent knee injuries.

Bad luck also prevented the flanker from making his full Scotland debut in 2004 as Cross was named as a substitute in Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales, only for the full-time whistle to blow as he prepared to come on.

But Cross – who has coached the Murrayfield Wanderers since 2008 - insists he has no regrets about calling time on his career and is vowing to pass on his experience.

"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 Edinburgh team,” he said.

“I could not contemplate walking away and not putting anything back into it. I hope coaching will be my passion now.

"It's been ten brilliant years for me - every schoolboy's dream is to be a professional sportsman and I've done that.

"While it might appear to some people that I'm departing a bit early, rugby is moving so fast now and you have to be right at the top of your game to compete well."