McCabe has been forced to retire after suffering a third neck fracture.
Wallabies and Brumbies outside back Pat McCabe has been forced to retire after suffering a third neck fracture.
McCabe fractured his neck during the Wallabies’ 51-20 loss to the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.
The injury was the third time McCabe had suffered a serious neck injury.
The 26-year-old was wearing a precautionary neck-brace as he arrived at Auckland Airport to leave for Australia, and Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham told ABC Radio that McCabe had made the decision to retire before consulting a specialist.
“Pat has made the decision he’s not going to play again,” Larkham said.
“Pat has had a number of good years at the Brumbies, I really thought this year was his best year in terms of performance.
“He had a really good pre-season, he had a bit of a scare earlier in the year but he overcame that and fought his way back into the Wallabies side and I thought things were up and up for him from here, so really devastating news for Patty and for his family.
“The good thing is he’s in a neck brace at the moment and will stay in that neck brace for the next couple of months and the neck should heal up fine, but devastating that he won’t play rugby again.”
McCabe played 24 Tests for Australia, and had been a member of the Brumbies squad since 2010.
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