Wales flanker James Davies retires from concussion
This article is from www.bbc.co.uk
Wales flanker James Davies has retired due to ongoing concussion problems.
James Davies
A Scarlets favourite, Davies, who won 11 Wales caps, had played just eight games for the Scarlets since the 2019 World Cup, with his last outing for the region coming in October 2020.
The 31-year-old’s last game of rugby was for Wales against Georgia in the Nations Cup at Parc y Scarlets in November 2020.
Davies revealed how "vulnerability" led to his "horrible" decision to retire.
"The first six months were pretty much a migraine for the whole time, my head just felt it was going to explode," Davies told Scarlets TV.
"I would come in because the specialist would say it's important to keep busy and training.
"Initially I was doing 10-minute spins on the bike and I would have to get off because I was feeling dizzy and sick and my head would be throbbing.
"I would be driving home worried if I would get there because my head was all over the shop.
"I was getting neck pain, my visuals were off, I probably had all the concussion symptoms.
"It was hard just trying to build tolerance for going on the bike. Once you did that, it would be trying to build tolerance to running, then passing and catching.
"None of it was easy and I had to re-train myself to do it all which was probably the hardest part.
"In the end I probably got to a point where I was training with the boys in a capacity I was looking like I was getting excited, getting the point I was still making breaks, my skillset was still there and I felt good, which was class."
Davies had that ray of light in his battle before that faded.
"Then it went onto contact which just wasn't working," added Davies.
"I got to a good place around November [2021] but managed to take a glancing blow in training.
"I went through all my symptoms again in the same cycle, just in a condensed period which is scary and showed my vulnerability.
"Little glancing blows to the head, I would get symptoms straightaway and I just felt vulnerable. Any kind of blow would give me a headache and in the end I just knew.
"This wasn't going to work.
"I am so glad I did everything I could to make sure it's the right decision because I could have quit so long ago. It will give me peace moving forward when I look back at the decision."
However, Davies admits retiring was still difficult.
"It's horrible, it's all I have known is playing rugby. It is my passion," he said.
"To go through what I have been through, it was probably the only decision I could make. Having spoken to the specialists there was no choice.
"It was pretty much put on my shoulders that I could not carry on. If you gave me the choice it would be the same choice because the last 18 months has been tough and to think I could do it again is pretty unthinkable.
"To put my family and friends through it again, I don't think I could do it to them or myself. It's gut-wrenching but the right decision has been made."