Chiefs prop Rimmer retires following stroke
Exeter Chiefs prop Carl Rimmer has retired after suffering a stroke during a training session in January.
The 32-year-old, who had played for Exeter since 2012, winning the Premiership in 2016-17, collapsed two days after sustaining "a nick" in an artery during a match against Newcastle Falcons.
The forward had hoped to return to competitive action, but has received medical advice to call time on his playing career.
"I spent the best part of a week in hospital," he said in an interview on the Chiefs' website.
"During the first week, there wasn't even a thought of what was going on in the future, it was more dealing with the symptoms at hand, and I was so fortunate to be where I was, surrounded by medical teams and doctors, and by the time a week has passed, I was up on my feet and walking round, and everybody was very, very happy.
"The club were brilliant with me and let me have some good time off to make sure everything healed as it should. Apart from the rugby side of things, I have been pretty much fine since February, so that has been brilliant.
"I was under the impression from medical guidance that there was a chance that I could return to playing, but at the same time the percentage was only 50-50, but unfortunately, three months later, when they rescanned everything, the injury itself had not healed properly, which just meant the risks of returning to play a contact sport were too great, and I was advised medically to retire, which wasn't great news to hear at the time.
According to the club, Rimmer intends to begin working in the construction industry.
"Plans are starting to be made," he said. "I am now in the position where I am looking forward to my next challenge, and not lamenting what was."
Tributes have also poured in from fellow teammates on social media, many with a humorous touch.
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I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.
Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.
Give the conspiracy theorists a win.
England played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ
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