Waratahs prop Benn Robinson forced to retire with eye injury

Former Australia prop Benn Robinson has retired from rugby due to complications with a serious eye injury suffered playing for New South Wales Waratahs.

The 72-Test forward suffered an accidental poke in the eye during a line-out against the ACT Brumbies in April and developed a condition called microscopic hyphema, in which blood cells appear in front of the lens, affecting vision.

His condition was further complicated by an increase in pressure within the eye and a tear to the retina, for which he underwent surgery, the Waratahs said in a statement.

While Robinson is expected to regain full sight, he has been advised that the risk to his eye is too great to continue his career in rugby.

"To hear from a doctor that I can't do that any more is a tough pill to swallow," said Robinson. "Rugby has been part of my life for so many years that for it to end like this is just so disappointing.

"The doctors went in after surgery and found a few more issues than they initially thought.

"There could be more surgeries in the future but my vision's still blurry in my right eye so that's probably potentially going to stay like that.

"But I was sitting in the office two weeks ago and I heard about a guy with a brain tumour and I've got a poke in the eye. There's worse things in life than a poke in the eye.

"I'm very fortunate, very lucky to have had such a long career but I wasn't expecting a poke in the eye to finish it. I was more concerned about my back and my knee."

Robinson was the third Wallabies prop to play 50 Tests after Al Baxter and Ewen McKenzie and he retires as the most capped Waratah, having played 148 Super Rugby matches.  

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