Concussion forces Wallabies' Haylett-Petty to retire

Associated Press
Updated ·1 min read
FILE - Australia's Dane Haylett-Petty, center, is surrounded by New Zealand defenders during their Bledisloe rugby test match at Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. Australia international Haylett-Petty has been forced to retire from rugby after a lengthy battle with concussion. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

SYDNEY (AP) — Australian international Dane Haylett-Petty has been forced to retire from rugby after a lengthy battle with concussions.

The 32-year-old Haylett-Petty sustained a head injury in a Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in October 2020 and was unable to play in the most recent Super Rugby season with the Melbourne Rebels.

The fullback, with 38 tests and 12 tries for the Wallabies, had made attempts to return to top-level action, but complained of lingering symptoms such as migraines.

“It’s not the way I wanted to finish,” Haylett-Petty posted on social media on Sunday. “I would have loved to run out just one more time, but it wasn’t to be.

“Rugby has given me so much and for that I am forever grateful. The experiences, the opportunities, the challenges, and the lifelong friendships. Thank you to all the teams who gave me an opportunity, and whose jerseys I wore with pride.

Haylett-Petty, who also represented Australia at rugby sevens, made his Wallabies debut against England in 2016.

His Super Rugby career began at the Western Force in 2008 followed by stints in Japan and France, before joining the Rebels in 2018.

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