Aviva Premiership
Tim Payne forced to retire due to injury
ESPN Staff
July 4, 2013
Wasps' retiring captain Lawrence Dallaglio parades the Premiership trophy alongside prop Tim Payne, London Wasps v Leicester Tigers, Premiership final, Twickenham, May 31 2008.
Tim Payne celebrates winning the 2007-08 Premiership crown alongside Lawrence Dallaglio © Getty Images
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London Wasps prop Tim Payne has announced his retirement from the game with immediate effect due to a neck injury.

The former England and Brtish & Irish Lions loose-head has taken medical advice to give up the game following an impressive career in which he won 22 Test caps and shared in three Premiership and two Heineken Cup titles.

"I am gutted that I have been forced to call it a day," said Payne. "I was injured towards the end of the season and not recovering from it wasn't something I saw coming, but I accept that is the nature of the game. That doesn't however make it any less disappointing for me especially because I was still very much enjoying playing, training and the progress at Wasps."

Wasps' director of rugby Dai Young said: "Tim has been a superb servant to Wasps for over ten years and he has been an important player through good times and bad for this Club. Though it is obviously disappointing for him that he has been forced to retire rather than decide himself when to stop playing, he can look back with great pride on his career. To play for one club over 250 times and to win domestic and European titles as well as playing for England and the Lions are all fantastic achievements and I speak for everyone when I say we wish him all the best in the next stage of his life."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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