The Wales rugby union captain Gwyn Jones has been forced to quit the sport after badly injuring his spine in a club match.

Jones, 25, has been in hospital with a compressed spinal cord since being carried off unconscious in a match between his club Cardiff and Swansea on Saturday.

Gwyn's father, Dr Alun Jones, discusses his sons future (Dur: 35")

At first it was feared the flanker had broken his neck after being trapped in a ruck 13 minutes into the game.

Doctors later said he had suffered a "significant" spinal cord injury and operated to ease the pressure on his spine on Tuesday.

They now expect him to make a full recovery but say he must not play again.

His Cardiff and Wales teammate Nigel Walker said the enforced retirement was a "huge blow" to the sport.

"The tragedy is that at 25 years of age he has only scratched the surface of his talent and I think he would have gone on to be a legend.

"Unfortunately it is not to be but the thing uppermost in our mind is that Gwyn should make a full recovery and take up his medical studies again," he said.

He added: "Seeing a big man like that, a sporting superstar as he is, lying in bed unable to move is very distressing."

Jones won his 13th cap when he led Wales for the fifth time, against New Zealand at Wembley, earlier this month.

Well-wishers from around the world have sent cards, messages of support and paintings to him in hospital.
 

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