Paul Rouget, Media365
Jules Le Bail, a 34-year-old scrum-half from Vannes, has been forced to retire after losing vision in one eye. The former La Rochelle player, who now leads Pro D2 with Vannes and is aiming for promotion to Top 14, announced his decision in interviews with Le Télégramme and Ouest-France.
“I knew very well it was the end,” Le Bail said. “In March 2025, I had a problem with my eye. Within a few days, I lost visual acuity—from 10 out of 10 to 0 out of 10. I was treated by an ophthalmologist, whom I thank. Thanks to my brother, I ended up at the Rothschild Foundation Hospital in Paris, the eye clinic. I met top specialists who diagnosed the issue.” He declined to elaborate further, adding, “There are more serious things in life.”
Le Bail reflected on the “small death” of ending a rugby career that began at La Rochelle, his formative club, where he won the Champions Cup twice during his second stint. “The specialist never allowed me to return to play. I kept hoping. At first, I had check-ups every month, then every three months. In January, he told me we’d meet again in three months and that he wasn’t in favor of a comeback. So I knew it was over—even before that January appointment. From the moment he didn’t clear me to resume training, I basically knew my fate.”
Le Bail, who may continue as a coach within the Breton club—having already earned his coaching diploma—acknowledged the mental strength required to face such a challenge. “You have to be strong mentally. But there are more serious things. I live normally day to day. I see less well, but my life hasn’t changed, except that I had to stop rugby. I can still run and drive,” he said.
