England Lions hooker Lee Mears has been forced to quit rugby with immediate effect.
Bath’s medical screening programme has revealed a cardiac abnormality and there is a significant potential risk of developing further complications if he continues to perform the prolonged strenuous exercises required to be an elite rugby player.
A veteran of 268 club appearances, 42 England caps as well as one for the British and Irish Lions, Mears has been with the Club since 1997.
He said: “Bath is my Club and I love it. This is not how I saw it ending but I feel enormously proud to have played for such a Club so many times. This will be a tough period, but the memories I have and the friends I have made over the years will be of huge support. Thank you to the Club and to the supporters, I’ve loved every minute.”
