England centre Ben Te’o has revealed that he seriously considered retiring after various injury problems, according to a report on BBC Sport.

The Worcester man has claimed that he had doubts about continuing his rugby career as he battled with an injury.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Sport

The 31-year-old was forced to miss England’s tour of South Africa this summer with a thigh injury, which he picked up just after recovering from a long-term ankle problem.

Te’o has worked hard to get himself as fit and healthy as possible but during his time on the sidelines, he has thought about hanging up his boots.

He said:

You have a couple of injuries back to back and you start to wonder ‘is this worth it? A lot of players would feel the same. I’ve come back from some tough injuries, and once you’re back it’s brilliant, but the time off is tough.

But sometimes that’s the way it goes with injuries. You can have a couple of good years, and then sometimes it can go back to back to back and you just can’t get away from it.

I’m praying and hoping I can get fit and play, and [an injury] doesn’t come back. [It’s been] frustrating. I think about packing it in the whole time when I wake up and my foot is stiff.

The centre has played 13 times for England and he is hoping to recover in time for the early part of the new season.