Welsh rugby legend Dan Biggar collapses to ground after suffering bizarre injury while taking conversion
DAN BIGGAR suffered a bizarre injury as he tried to take a conversion.
The Wales legend, 34, retired from international rugby following the Dragons’ heartbreaking World Cup exit against Argentina.
His fellow icons Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny were all given emotional farewells in Saturday’s Wales vs Barbarians clash at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
However, 112-cap Biggar missed the friendly because he was back in club action for the first time since the World Cup.
But the return did not go as planned for the Toulon fly-half as they faced Perpignan.
Charles Ollivon had scored a ninth-minute try to put Toulon in front, set up by Biggar’s cross-field kick.
And that gave Biggar his chance to add the extra two points with a conversion from out wide on the right.
After going through his meticulous pre-kick preparation, the veteran stepped forward to try and plant the rugby ball between the posts.
But just before he struck the ball, he suddenly pulled out of the kick and clutched his lower back then immediately collapsed to the turf.
Biggar writhed around in serious discomfort and was clearly in agony, covering his face with his arm.
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Toulon’s physios rushed on to treat the experienced playmaker before helping him walk gingerly off the field.
To make matters worse, it is understood the kick technically went down as a missed conversion because the run-up started – therefore meaning a retake was not possible.
Sadly, the worrying injury was too painful for Biggar to carry on and he was replaced just ten minutes into the Top 14 match by Frenchman Enzo Herve.
The substitute fly-half kicked five points but Toulon lost 26-22 in South France – to add further misery for Biggar.
Plenty took to social media to send their best wishes for the Swansea-born former Ospreys and Northampton Saints star.
One said: “A concerning watch. Hope it’s nothing serious for Dan Biggar.”
‘OUCH’
Another wrote: “I feel for him, have had plenty of issues in that part of my body. Sometimes, the most innocuous thing can trigger it.”
A third added: “That’s not good at all. Speedy recovery.”
A fourth commented: “Feel for Dan Biggar here. Back injuries are no fun at the best of times, let alone in the world of professional rugby.”
And a final user simply typed: “Ouch.”
Speaking after his Wales retirement, Biggar had revealed 16 years of professional rugby was beginning to take its toll on the body.
He told the Daily Mail: “To be brutally honest, my body has started to feel more like a 33-year-old’s in the last 12 months.
“I still feel great on the pitch, but the recovery days and the days off are getting a little harder.
“I’ve always wanted to stop on my own terms. If I don’t retire myself, then I know I will get pushed out eventually.
“I have seen so many great players get phased out by injury or selection, and I didn’t want that to happen to me.”