Neal ‘gutted’ as centre forced to hang up boots
FORMER Wasp back Ross Neal has retired from rugby aged 26 after suffering from concussion symptoms.
Seattle Seawolves, the Major League Rugby side the 6ft 5in tall centre has represented since leaving Wasps in 2019, made the announcement via its social media channels that their star Englishman was hanging up his boots.
“It’s been an incredibly hard decision and I’m truly gutted to have to stop playing at this point in my career,” Neal said. “I had been struggling with concussion symptoms and I felt I’d been trying to downplay them as I knew what accepting them would mean.
“This took a bit of a toll on me mentally and on the pitch, so after giving it real thought once the season had ended, I decided it would be best for me to hang up my boots.”
Neal progressed through the London Irish academy ranks before moving on loan, and then permanently, to Championship side London Scottish.
In the summer of 2018, Wasps bolstered their squad with five signings from the Championship as Neal was joined by Michael Le
Bourgeois (Bedford Blues), Billy Searle (Bristol), Ben Morris (Nottingham) and Joe Atkinson (London Scottish).
His Wasps debut came on the same day as then 18-year-old Alfie Barbeary in the Premiership Rugby Cup defeat to Gloucester in October 2018.
With the club short on wingers following Christian Wade’s shock exit around that time saw Neal emerge as a contender, scoring two tries in a 32-28 win over Bristol Bears at the Coventry Building Society Arena the following month. Neal would score his third and final try in a 42-27 away defeat to Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup. After playing just twice in the first few months of his second season, Neal announced he was leaving Wasps to head to America and play Major League Rugby. During the off-season, he returned to England to play for London Irish in 2020 and also had a brief spell with Saracens, signing a short-term deal in October 2021. Reflecting on his time in Seattle, Neal added: “There are memories I’ll take with me from on the pitch and off the pitch that will stay with me for a long time.”
I had been struggling with concussion symptoms and I felt I’d been trying to downplay them.
Ross Neal