FORMER Newcastle Falcons lock Stuart Grimes has swapped the rugby field for the office as he embarks on the next chapter of his professional life.

Capped 71 times by Scotland, the 37-year-old was among the crowd at a sold-out Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup clash between England and his former side on Saturday.

Grimes was joined by Steve Lancaster, brother of England’s new coach Stuart Lancaster, who is a colleague in his new job at Persimmon Homes.

Having stepped down from playing in 2009 before enjoying a season as forwards coach with the Falcons, the former second-rower said: “Retirement comes to us all at some point.

“When you are playing professional sport you miss it, but you have to move on.

“I miss it like I miss school, university and other parts of my life.

“Rugby is something I will always look back on with great fondness, but I am loving office culture and find it fascinating.

“I have my weekends back and can actually plan things and make friends’ weddings instead of missing them because of playing games.”

Working as a land buyer for Persimmon Homes across the North East, he said from his desk in Great Park, Newcastle: “It is a vastly different environment I am in now, but one I find very interesting.”