Cape Town - Former Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Derick Hougaard has decided against making a comeback to professional rugby.
This comes after Hougaard recently indicated that he was considering a return to the game three years after retiring.
The 33-year-old visited orthopaedist Johan Kruger last Monday to find out more about the Achilles tendon injury which ended his stint with English club Saracens in 2012.
According to Rapport, the doctor advised him not to play rugby again.
“Now I don't have to wonder one day if I could have returned to the rugby field,” said Hougaard. “I regard Johan as a very good person and I could see in his eyes that he wanted to help me.
“I wanted to be certain if I could play again. Now I can finally move on.”
Hougaard, a former darling of Loftus Versfeld which earned him the nickname ‘Liefling’, played eight Tests for the Springboks between 2003 and 2007.