Rugby: Health issues force former All Blacks prospect Robbie Fruean into retirement - report

Robbie Fruean has reportedly retired from rugby. Photo / Getty

Robbie Fruean, the blockbusting midfielder who starred for the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Chiefs, is set to call time on his career due to his health issues.

Now playing for Edinburgh in the Pro14 competition, the one-time All Blacks prospect is on the brink of retirement according to the Sunday Times.

The newspaper said the 29-year-old had suffered further complications to a heart condition that had seen him undergo two open-heart surgeries and two further cardiac procedures.

The Sunday Times said it understood Fruean had received specialist advice that the impact on his second replacement heart valve was such that it required him to stop playing.

Edinburgh would not comment, but the newspaper expected an official announcement to follow soon.

Fruean, who was born in Wellington, developed his heart condition after contracting rheumatic fever shortly after being named world under-19 player of the year.

Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill said of Fruean when he signed him from Bath in September this year: "His heart condition is an ongoing bigger-picture thing that needs to be exactly right. The rest of it is just normal wear and tear on a player of his age who has played that much rugby.

"But he's quality, he's very much a class player, and for us to recruit that quality at this point and not be paying very, very top-end money, we have to take slight risks on certain players."