THE man Wasps turned to when Lawrence Dallaglio stepped down has been forced out of the game by injury.

Raphael Ibanez celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday by announcing his immediate retirement.

He said: “During my career I’ve overcome so many injuries to live my passion every Sunday, but this time it is pretty serious.”

The most capped French hooker in history was named Wasps club captain during the summer, following Dallaglio’s retirement, but concussions against Worcester, Leinster and Sale in September, October and November proved too much to come back from.

He said: “We went to see a neurologist and a neurosurgeon last Thursday and we agreed that in order to avoid another bad injury, or an even worse one, it is time for me to stop playing.

“Some days I still feel the physical lows after the last concussion, so I think it’s a wise decision.

“I’ve tried everything I could to come back on the pitch, but it’s just too risky. For once I have to listen to the specialists around me.”

Ibanez joined Wasps in the summer of 2005 and won the Powergen Cup, Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership in successive seasons.

Director of rugby Ian McGeechan said: “It’s a sad day. We’re losing a great player and a club captain.

“But he has a lot of living to do after rugby, and we want him 100 per cent able to do that, not just for himself but for his wife and his family.

“It’s a privilege to have coached him.”

Ibanez won his first French cap against Wales in 1996 and wore the armband for the first time when France kicked off the 1998 Six Nations Championships against an England team led by Dallaglio.

Les Bleus romped to the Grand Slam that year, and Ibanez went on to play in eight more Six Nations as well as three World Cups.

Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards said: “He’s one of the greatest French forwards of all time, and when I finally finish coaching I’ll look back on my career and be able to say I coached Raphael Ibanez.”

Ibanez remains in place as Wasps’ club captain until the summer, but does not want to turn his back on the game after that.

He said: “I can’t walk away from rugby without giving something back to the sport I love.

“Coaching is something I’ll start thinking about. It’s a matter of when and where.”

Serge Betsten and Phil Vickery will share the armband on the pitch.