Bath centre Williams retires

Bath centre Ben Williams has been forced to retire from rugby due to a shoulder injury.

The 26-year-old former England U16 and U18 cap made 37 appearances for Bath, scoring five tries, but did not feature in the 2014-15 campaign after suffering a shoulder injury in a pre-season match against Scarlets which required surgery.

"I've done everything in my power to get back to full fitness, but there comes a point when you realise you need to do what's best for your well-being," Williams told the official Bath website.

Bath head coach Mike Ford said: "It's a real shame to see such a talented player having to retire from the game so young.

"Every time he took to the field we saw what he was capable of, so it's a pity that injury has curtailed such a promising career."