"Since July 2011 (date of his arrival at the OC, editor's note), a new chapter has opened for me," he wrote on Instagram. "12 years later, many dreams have come true. Now is the time to take a new route. A new direction".
"A city, people, team and friends, all are part of this incredible time in my life," he added. "Leaving Castres at the end of the season won't be the easiest thing I've done, but what it's been is just spectacular!"
The former player of South African origin, selected 11 times in the France team, had hung up the cleats last year, at 36 years old, after the final of Top 14 lost by the Castrais against Montpellier, which he had not played.
He had integrated in the wake, as coach of the defense, the staff of Pierre-Henry Broncan, replaced in February by Jeremy Davidson because of the poor results of the club Tarnais, in the fight for the maintenance.
Kockott, crowned France champion in 2013 and 2018, has come out of retirement four times this season to make up for the many absences at scrum-half.
Currently 11th in the Top 14, the OC will host the leader Toulouse on Saturday (15:00) on matchday 21.
© 2023 AFP