I'm happy for him but amazed this is happening.

Surely if you spend a whole year out with concussion you have to seriously consider if the risk of going on is worth it, especially with a history of concussions and a young family. Also it isn't as if he is 20 and just starting out, he has achieved everything he will achieve short of a miracle second Premiership. He's obviously taken this into account but personally I'd be calling it.