Joe van Niekerk stepped away from rugby having made peace with what awaits in the sport's afterlife.
Delaying the inevitable can be devastating, warned Van Niekerk, who played 52 Tests for the Springboks between 2001 and 2010.
“Rugby players sacrifice so much in the sport that they almost can't do anything outside rugby,” said the 42-year-old. Players in South Africa are increasingly aware of the pitfalls of an unplanned exit from the game. MyPlayers, their representative body, drives initiatives to help smooth the path to the next phase in life.
“They stop training and doing the thins that kept them healthy and vibrant and served their well being.”“As a professional player your life is structured by these institutions that run our life for us. Everything is set. At the end of your career that too falls away. Where is the routine and the structure? Some turn to alcohol or drugs to make themselves feel better.”
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