Scotland forwards David Denton was made to retire on the recommendation of doctors.
The 29-year-old decided to hang up his boots after being told he’d be risking his long term health following an concussion struggle.
Denton, who won the last of the 42 caps for Scotland in Argentina last summer, told The Times:”I have had this thing hanging over me for quite a while now.
“Considering that the harm I’ve woken up each morning with stress in my head and visual disturbances rather than really understanding what’s going on.
“Pretty much for that whole time I’ve been imagining that next week I am better.
“Each time that I attempted to experience the comeback protocol, I would fail. I’ve tried everything but nothing’s worked.”
Denton suffered a blow to the head during Leicester Tigers’ league match with Northampton Saints in Twickenham past October.
But his attempts to earn a return to the match floundered until he was finally given the news by neurosurgeon Richard Sylvester he should call time.
Had he been match, Zimbabwe-born Denton could have been in contention for a place in the Scotland squad of Gregor Townsend .
And the No 8 – who qualified for Delta thanks for his Glaswegian mother – admits he will miss pulling on a dark blue wig most.
“The concept of never having the ability to run out before 70,000 people at Murrayfield again is not enjoyable,” he said.
“I want the boys to perform well [in Japan] and would so want to be there but that isn’t likely to occur.
“It’s important to me I don’t look back with sadness at what could have been, instead look forwards and stay proud of what was.
“There was much more I wanted to attain. All of a sudden I’m unable to do that.”
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