KEY POINTS:
Former All Black Derren Witcombe will not be seen again on the rugby field.
After another serious neck injury, Witcombe has called an end to a career that included five tests, 50 games for Northland and Auckland and 53 matches as hooker for the Blues.
"The whole thing is still sinking in. I've only had a few days to absorb it," the 28-year-old said yesterday.
Witcombe returned to rugby after fusion surgery to repair vertebrae damaged when a scrum collapsed on him as Auckland played Canterbury in 2005.
He showed strong form during this Super 14 season, but in Auckland's opening provincial game against Counties Manukau the weight of a subsiding scrum damaged his neck again.
"My neck got compressed, I could feel it and I had pain down my arm," he said yesterday.
Witcombe continued to play, but subsequent x-rays and scans revealed problems with different vertebrae to those he damaged two years ago.
The vertebrae that had been repaired were "solid, no problem there", but elsewhere in his neck the space between vertebrae was compressed.
It was clear-cut as far as the specialist was concerned, and a second opinion confirmed that playing again would be very risky.
Witcombe knew he had no choice.
"Nothing could have swayed me to go back," he said. "I am getting married in November and I want to have a family life. I want to be mobile and to be able to play with my children if we have them."
Witcombe was insured when he first hurt his neck, but was told he would not be covered further if he returned to rugby.
He was philosophical about not being protected financially against the new injury.
It was a risk he had been prepared to take.
"I did the rehabilitation, had plenty of chats with the surgeon and I guess it is like any injury, these things can recur."
He was disappointed when he got the letter telling him he would not be insured, "but it did not sway my decision to return".
Senior rugby officials yesterday paid tribute to Witcombe's contribution in first-class rugby since his first game, for Northland in 2001.
Blues chief executive Andy Dalton said: "Derren is a valuable member of the Auckland rugby and Blues family. I'm very disappointed for him, but he finishes his playing career on a high with an impressive Super 14 season and run in the Junior All Blacks."
Witcombe said getting into the All Blacks and beating the Lions was a definite highlight of his career but it was hard to separate the times he had with Auckland, winning the Super 12 title with the Blues and claiming the Ranfurly Shield.
He was unsure what he would do in the future. He sat some commercial real estate papers while recovering from his first neck injury but said it was too early to settle on his next career path.
Derren Witcombe
Age: 28
Hooker
Northland debut 2001, 20 matches
Auckland 30 matches
Blues 53 matches
All Blacks debut 2005, 5 tests
