Wales and Cardiff Blues centre Tom Shanklin has retired from rugby after failing to recover from a serious knee injury.
Wales centre unable to return to rugby due to knee injury
Wales and Cardiff Blues centre Tom Shanklin has retired from rugby after failing to recover from a serious knee injury.
The 31-year-old, who won 70 caps for his country and toured New Zealand with the 2005 British and Irish Lions, had surgery earlier this year in a bid to cure the problem.
But with the injury not healing sufficiently to play rugby at the top level, Shanklin has followed medical advice and will end his career.
"My knee isn't too bad - it's okay to walk and cycle and to do everyday things," he said.
"But with regards to playing rugby - accelerating, changing direction, weightlifting - it's not too good. I had an operation in January to see if we could fix the problem, and it hasn't worked.
Restrictions
"It's bone on bone on my knee which has restricted me from doing a lot of things, and I am going to have to retire from the game.
"The advice from Rhys Williams, the surgeon, was to retire. Rhys knows the inside of my knee pretty well, having done three or four operations on it.
"It was down to me to decide if I could continue or not, but I can't go on as it's too sore. It's a pretty black and white situation.
"I cannot fully function with it, and I need to start taking account of my body and start listening to it."
Shanklin's 2005 Lions Tour was brought to an abrupt halt due to knee trouble, while a shoulder injury kept him out of the tour of South Africa four years later.
The former Saracens player still enjoyed a successful international career with Wales, which included 20 tries and two Grand Slam triumphs in 2005 and 2008.
