Gloucester Rugby star Ed Slater has announced his immediate retirement from the sport after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease at just 33.
His club confirmed the heartbreaking news of his diagnosis and retirement with a statement, which read: "Gloucester Rugby is deeply pained to announce that Ed Slater has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
"Following six months of testing, Ed’s diagnosis was confirmed last week and as a result, with the support of his family, friends and Gloucester Rugby, he has made the difficult decision to retire from professional rugby with immediate effect."