Uini Atonio Forced to Retire After Cardiac Event
La Rochelle have confirmed that Uini Atonio’s playing career has come to an end following a serious cardiac incident earlier this week.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the club revealed that the long-serving prop was admitted to La Rochelle University Hospital on Tuesday after a suspected heart problem. Medical examinations subsequently confirmed that Atonio suffered a cardiac event. His condition is currently stable, and he remains under close supervision in intensive care.
While the immediate focus is on his recovery, La Rochelle have confirmed that the incident will require a lengthy period of convalescence, and it has now been established that Atonio will be unable to continue his professional rugby career.
The news has sent shockwaves through French rugby. Atonio is one of the most significant figures in La Rochelle’s modern history, having been central to the club’s rise to the summit of the European game. A cornerstone of their forward pack for more than a decade, he played a key role in Top 14 success and back-to-back Champions Cup triumphs, while also becoming a mainstay in the French national side.
In their statement, La Rochelle underlined the unique place Atonio holds within the club, describing the announcement as one that affects them deeply. The club pledged its full and unwavering support to Atonio and his family as he begins the next phase of his life away from the pitch.
Tributes are already emerging from across the rugby world for a player admired not just for his size and power, but for his consistency, loyalty and professionalism. While his career has been cut short in heartbreaking circumstances, Uini Atonio’s legacy at La Rochelle — and in French rugby — is firmly secured.
