The Welsh rugby players who've lost their careers to brain injuries

The issue of brain injuries in rugby has never been more important. Impending legal action from a group of former players - many of which are Welsh - against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union could prove to be a sliding doors moment for the sport.

Former Wales flanker Alix Popham is one of the players leading that charge, while there are other former Welsh players - both named and unnamed - also involved in the case, as first revealed by WalesOnline. Were that not enough, the news of James Davies' retirement last week after struggling to recover from a head injury shone further light on the matter.

Scarlets talisman Davies, who won 11 caps for Wales during his career, is the third international to be forced into retirement this year from brain injuries - with New Zealand flanker Dillon Hunt and Australia full-back Dane Heylett-Petty both hanging up the boots after concussions. He's not the first Welsh player either to have retired either, with a worrying number having to finish playing over the years.

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A number of Welsh stars have been forced into retirement due to head injuries. Here's some of the most recent and how they've been affected.

The Ospreys back retired in January 2019 at the age of 27, having taken a year out of the game after a number of concussions. His last appearance on a rugby pitch was a Boxing Day encounter with the Scarlets, during which he suffered his third concussion of the year.

Following his time out of the game, he was forced to make the call after it became clear he couldn't return to the sport. Since retiring, John has focused on his career as a personal trainer which you