English Rugby
Fourie forced to hang up boots
ESPN Staff
January 3, 2013
England flanker Hendre Fourie, England v New Zealand, Twickenham, London, England, November 6, 2010
Hendre Fourie has retired at the age of 33 © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Hendre Fourie
Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Former England flanker Hendre Fourie has been forced to retire from the game after he failed to recover fully from a shoulder injury.

Fourie won eight caps for England and was in with a shout of making the 2011 World Cup squad. But he picked up a shoulder injury before the tournament started, with Sale boss Steve Diamond claiming he suffered the injury in England's warm up match with Ireland, and missed out on selection.

The flanker joined Sale from Leeds in the pre-season running up to the 2011-12 campaign but managed just 14 minutes of Aviva Premiership action for his new club, which came against Worcester in February, 2012. Since then, Fourie has been battling to recover from the setback but Diamond confirmed on Thursday, alongside the signing of ex-All Black Daniel Braid, that the South African-born openside has been forced to retire.

"We got the final confirmation last week that he was unable to come back and play again," Diamond told the Manchester Evening News. "We have backed him 100 per cent all the way through the injury but his body is battered and it just hasn't recovered.

"The shoulder just won't get back to A1 and the best medical advice he and we have been given is that he doesn't risk it any more. It's desperately disappointing - both for Hendre and for us - but he's got to look after himself with the long-term future in mind."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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