Ex-Tiger Will Skinner forced to retire at 29

[BJ.]

From the Beeb

That's a helluva shame. He's a good bloke.

[tigerburnie]

Seems to be more each year, is this just part of the game now, or should the clubs/authorities be looking closer to see if anything can/needs to be done?
He(along with Kohn) have been fine servants to the game.

[Skin_and_Muscle]

What a shame for these guys - it appears that fewer and fewer players' bodies are letting them play on into their mid-thirties. Something has to be done about this; I remember watching an interview with Francois Pienaar about the differences between training foci now and then and it is clear that it's a problem.

In any case, good luck to Ollie and Will with their Hog Roasts and career, respectively!

[kingol22]

Something has to be done about this

But what can be done. Players are getting bigger and that means bigger collisions and a higher likelihood of career ending injuries. Short of putting a time limit on the amount of time players can spend in the gym I dont see how we can do anything about it.

[Skin_and_Muscle]

Short of putting a time limit on the amount of time players can spend in the gym I dont see how we can do anything about it.

On the nose.

[Gate]

Terrible shame. Will is such a nice guy. I understood why Tigers didn't keep him, but I always thought it was unfortunate. Any number of times he would have been just the man we needed at 7.

All the best to him, and to Olly Kohn too.

[Skin_and_Muscle]

One more:

http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/n ... -to-retire

This one is not enforced but it's a retirement of a top player and a good servant to Worcester.

"Physically, I feel I could continue for a few more years. However, an opportunity has been presented to me to look to the future and it truly feels like the time is right for me to make this move.

"I have a health and nutrition business that is rapidly expanding and it is already proving to be hugely successful."

That's a nice thing to hear!

[jgriffin]

I blame it on two things:
1 the culture of low-fat, ripped physiques that positively invite muscular and skeletal injuries (that's how Budgie's lasted so long )
2 the construction and reffing of the free-for-all called the breakdown which IMO accounts for immense numbers of neck, shoulder and knee injuries

Many people rabbit on about the increased speed etc, but I see collisions between dynamic bodies as inherently safer - it is when one body is static or compromised, often the case in the ruck when some oaf dives off their feet to shoulder-barge a static player.

[DickyP]

Fond memories of Will Skinner - pity he so much high quality competition for his position when he was at Tigers. Always remember his last second try against Leeds in 2006 to give us a bonus point win when we were losing 19-23 in the 80th minute. I was sat in what is now the Goldsmith's stand (goodness knows what it was called then!) right in front of where he scored, and I've never seen such a collective sigh of relief mixed with cheers.

[MPG]

Top bloke and great player - unfortunately the now DOR thought he was "too small" - a direct quote from Skins when he told me he was leaving!