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Williams forced to retire
ESPNscrum Staff
September 30, 2011
Cardiff Blues hooker Gareth Williams, Cardiff Blues v Toulouse, Heineken Cup, Cardiff City Stadium, December 12, 2009
Williams will now pursue his commercial interests in retirement © Getty Images
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Teams: Cardiff Blues | Wales

Cardiff Blues hooker Gareth Williams has been forced to retire from the game due to a neck injury.

The nine times capped hooker sustained the injury during a pre-season friendly with Bath and following medical advice has been forced to hang up his boots. Williams has been at Cardiff since the summer of 2003 and took his bow for the national side against Italy in 2003.

"Basically, the neck was damaged during the pre season friendly against Bath," explained Williams. "I damaged some more discs in the neck close to where I had the operation last year, which are now fused together.

"If I were to have the operation, it would be quite a big procedure and the doctors said that if I did come back playing, I would be opening myself up to maybe some permanent damage and there is no guarantee it would work.

"So it's too much of a risk, especially in the position that I play in the front row. His advice was to retire and so I'm hanging up my boots. It still hasn't sunk in, but the surgeon has made the choice for me."

Williams owns up his own company Sportable Challenge and this is a venture he will pursue now that he has been forced to retire. "Obviously I'm going to miss the game and the boys here, but life goes on after rugby and I have to think about my future now.

"I have a young family and that has helped put things into perspective. I have to find a real job now. It's every rugby player's nightmare, but it has to come to an end sometime. I'm hoping I've done enough the last few years to be successful in the future away from rugby."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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