The England international brought the curtain down on his 13-year stay with Exeter Chiefs at the end of last season – and was due to switch to French Top 14 side, Montpellier.
However, concerns over an operation on his neck and subsequent nerve damage saw his two-year deal fall flat on the floor, this despite some claims in the French media that his cross-Channel move had been terminated after he spent a night in a ‘drunk tank’ and the inference was Montpellier pulled out as a result.
“Some of what was said was true, other bits weren’t,” said the 30-year-old Cornishman. “Post the thing that potentially happened, they [Montpellier] weren’t too happy, but they were okay. It was more medical.
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