Former Harlequins captain Rob Purdham has been forced to retire at the age of 31.
Shoulder injury forces England international to quit
Former Harlequins captain Rob Purdham has been forced to retire at the age of 31.
The England international left Quins at the end of the Super League season to return to Cumbria with his wife, who recently gave birth to their first child.
He left a decision on his future open but has decided to call it a day after struggling to recover from a shoulder injury.
"I am sad to announce that I am retiring from all professional rugby due to medical advice," Purdham told his testimonial website.
"I have enjoyed every minute of being a professional player and my 10 years in London will live with me forever.
"I have met and played with some very special people over the years and feel very privileged to have done so. I wish London Broncos all the best for the future."
Purdham played 264 games in a professional career spanning 12 years - 55 for his hometown club Whitehaven, 197 for the Londoners and 12 representative appearances including the 2008 World Cup in Australia.
He was also captain of a Cumbria representative side that drew with England at Whitehaven in the wake of the death of his brother Garry in the Cumbrian shootings of June 2010.
