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'It's always been sore' - Stephen Ferris on his career-ending injury

Listen to the full interview above  It was only in March that Stephen Ferris was telling us...



'It's always been sore...
Rugby

'It's always been sore' - Stephen Ferris on his career-ending injury

Listen to the full interview above 

It was only in March that Stephen Ferris was telling us about his excitement at returning to the rugby field after a long injury lay-off.

But sadly, the former Ulster and Ireland backrow had to call time on his career this week at the age of 28 due to a long-standing ankle injury.

His former team-mate Bryn Cunningham and ex-Ireland captain Keith Wood have all paid tribute to him and tonight it was Ferris' turn to tell his side of the story.

I felt like I was going really well. I felt good and positive. Unfortunately when you have to train on it week in, week out for matches, that's when problems occur. That's when the ankle started to give me a lot of trouble and flare up again," said Ferris, who said he was also celebrating his career and focusing on the positives.

Ferris admitted that he had planned to continue his career for another four or five years as he worked his way through the rehabilitation process and also revealed that the problem ankle "had always been sore."

"It's always been 100 per cent sore. I've just been digging in. Obviously when I do get running and get going, it does free out. But after a tough session or playing a match, it swells up and gives me alot of pain and a lot of joint and nerve pain," said Ferris, who has had to endure three surgeries on the ankle.

He also said that his past injuries were often related to innocuous incidents rather than his style of play and is still pondering what to do in his post-rugby career.

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