Coetzee has already been knocked out three times this season © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Eduard Coetzee

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Teams: Biarritz | France

Biarritz prop Eduard Coetzee has been forced to call time on his career after taking too many knocks to the head.

The 32-year-old South African arrived in Biarritz back in 2007 and has already been knocked out three times since the start of the current campaign. The prop has previously turned out for the Bulls and the Sharks before arriving in France in 2005 when he signed for Bayonne. But after consulting three specialist doctors, Coetzee will retire from rugby with immediate effect.

"For me it is over as far as rugby is concerned," said Coetzee. "I consulted three different neurologists including two who work with the National Rugby League (LNR) and those last two formally forbade me to play rugby at the highest level."

"I have already been knocked out three times since the beginning of the campaign; once against London Irish in a friendly, and then against Toulouse and Perpignan in the Top championship."