England's World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson has quit rugby at the age of 28 after a life-threatening neck injury.

The Northampton forward announced his decision in an interview published  this morning. His absence will be a further blow to England's World Cup preparations after centre Mike Tindall was ruled out for three months with a broken leg.

"That's it. I'm never playing rugby again," the hooker, who was injured in Northampton's game against Biarritz in a Heineken Cup match in January, told the Mail on Sunday.

Thompson, who had surgery on the disc injury four weeks ago, said a specialist told him he was "very lucky" to be walking.

"If I had taken one more knock, I would have ended up paralysed or even dead," he added.

England go to France this year to defend the World Cup Thompson helped them lift in Australia in 2003.

Tindall, also a World Cup-winner, broke his leg playing for Gloucester against Newcastle on Friday.

He will be out for at least three months, missing the tour of South Africa in June, a key part of the build-up, but hoping to return for warm-ups with France and Wales in August.

In the World Cup starting on September 7th, England are in Pool A with South Africa, Samoa, Tonga and the US.