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Worcester prop and former Wales international Chris Horsman has retired from rugby with immediate effect on medical grounds.

The 32-year-old tight-head (pictured) has suffered a series of injuries in the past few seasons and after serious neck injury was advised to end his career.

Horsman, capped 14 times and part of Wales' 2007 World Cup squad, played 62 games for the Warriors but has been limited to just seven starts in the last two years.

"It has been a decision between my health and family and the game I love - I had to make the right choice and do it wisely," said Horsman.

"I have had almost 20 operations from rugby and having had cancer twice I have been through it, sometimes the biggest and hardest decision is to say enough is enough.

"Rugby has been a huge part of my life for 12 years. I would do it for nothing, I would pay to do it, so I have been very fortunate with the things I have achieved and the people I have met and teams I have played for, particularly Worcester and Wales."

Horsman began his club career at Bath in 1997 before joining Bridgend in 2002. With the advent of regional rugby in Wales, Horsman was called up to the Celtic Warriors regional side, but when the club was disbanded due to financial difficulties in 2004 he was forced to seek another club, ending up at Worcester.

"The news that Chris Horsman has been advised to retire from professional rugby has not been unexpected," said Worcester director of rugby Mike Ruddock.

"Despite Chris making a huge effort to come through this latest setback, unfortunately the injury is of the type and magnitude that will prevent him continuing to play at this level.

"Chris has been a fantastic player for the Warriors and for Wales and it really is a shame that his career has to end when he would have been at the peak of his powers.

"My link with Chris is a particularly strong one as I gave him his first cap for Wales. It's therefore a big blow for the club and particularly for Chris that he has had to retire from rugby and I know how difficult that is to deal with having gone through something similar myself many years ago."

Worcester open their 2009/10 Guinness Premiership campaign away at Northampton on the weekend of September 4-6.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport