Dan Biggar Collapses to the Floor in Agony with a Back Spasm as He Prepares to Take a Conversion
- 7 months ago
Former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar suffered a painful back injury in the opening stages of his return to action for club side Toulon.
Biggar retired from international duty following Wales' quarter-final exit at the hands of Argentina at the recent Rugby World Cup.
He was back in action for the first time in a Top 14 clash against Perpignan on Saturday night.
However, his return lasted only 10 minutes after he picked up the nasty-looking injury.
The 34-year-old was getting set to take the conversion after team-mate Charles Ollivon had scored the first try of the game.
But footage shows Biggar clutching his back before collapsing to the floor in agony just as he was about to strike the ball.
The Toulon medical team rushed onto the field to tend to the stricken No 10, and he was eventually helped from the field and replaced.
Biggar suffered a pectoral muscle strain at the World Cup in France during Wales' crushing 40-6 win against Australia in the pool stage.
He sat out the game against Georgia that followed but returned for the defeat to Argentina in Marseille.
In his Mail Sport column announcing his retirement, Biggar admitted that the physical toll of a 16-year professional rugby career was a factor in the decision.
He said: 'My body has started to feel more like a 33-year-old's in the last 12 months. I still feel great on the pitch, but the recovery days and the days off are getting a little harder.
'I've always wanted to stop on my terms. If I don't retire myself, then I know I will get pushed out eventually… I have seen so many great players get phased out by injury or selection, and I didn't want that to happen to me.'
Biggar retired from international duty following Wales' quarter-final exit at the hands of Argentina at the recent Rugby World Cup.
He was back in action for the first time in a Top 14 clash against Perpignan on Saturday night.
However, his return lasted only 10 minutes after he picked up the nasty-looking injury.
The 34-year-old was getting set to take the conversion after team-mate Charles Ollivon had scored the first try of the game.
But footage shows Biggar clutching his back before collapsing to the floor in agony just as he was about to strike the ball.
The Toulon medical team rushed onto the field to tend to the stricken No 10, and he was eventually helped from the field and replaced.
Biggar suffered a pectoral muscle strain at the World Cup in France during Wales' crushing 40-6 win against Australia in the pool stage.
He sat out the game against Georgia that followed but returned for the defeat to Argentina in Marseille.
In his Mail Sport column announcing his retirement, Biggar admitted that the physical toll of a 16-year professional rugby career was a factor in the decision.
He said: 'My body has started to feel more like a 33-year-old's in the last 12 months. I still feel great on the pitch, but the recovery days and the days off are getting a little harder.
'I've always wanted to stop on my terms. If I don't retire myself, then I know I will get pushed out eventually… I have seen so many great players get phased out by injury or selection, and I didn't want that to happen to me.'