Wallabies prop forced into early retirement

Matt Gibbon will swap the playing field for real estate after a gruesome knee injury forced him into retirement.

Recruited from the Rebels to the Reds, the six-Test Wallaby forward dislocated his kneecap and severely damaged cartilage in a training mishap before Christmas.

The prop had debuted for the Reds against Wales in the pre-season, but was unable to play again after the injury and on Wednesday confirmed he’d hung up the boots.

“I would have loved to have played for another five years,” the 30-year-old said.

“I thought it was going to come good, but it just didn’t.”

“For all of us Rebels boys, last year was extremely tough, experiencing such unknowns,” he said of his final season at the defunct team.

“To be accepted into the Reds family when we moved up here, it was awesome. Prior to my injury I was just loving playing up here and loving life at the Reds.”

A qualified electrician, Gibbon is finalising his building licence and working in real estate.

“With my knee the way it is, I can’t be crawling through ceilings or under houses anymore,” he said.

“So I’ve gone back to learning; finishing my builder’s licence and getting started in real estate.

“I’ve found that the mindset I used in the game – chasing improvement, staying consistent with the one-percenters – translates perfectly.”