Former Rugby Player, 24, Cites Mental Health for Not Returning to Professional Sport

A former professional rugby player has declared his decision not to re-enter the sport professionally, citing the need to safeguard his mental well-being. Harri Morgan, aged 24, a former Ospreys player, revealed his withdrawal from the sport in 2023 following an attempt to end his life. The swift loss of both his grandparents, combined with the demands inherent in a professional athletic setting, intensified his difficulties. The Welsh Rugby Union acknowledged that players’ transitions into and out of the sport can be challenging, stating their commitment to improving support mechanisms for athletes navigating these periods. Morgan, who previously represented Wales under-20s and his local club Bridgend, experienced a professional career that was brief and frequently interrupted by injuries. While rugby once served as a coping mechanism, he stated that injuries and the inherent pressures of the sport amplified his ongoing grief. ‘’A lot of the negatives [in mental health] were leading back to rugby and the impact that was having,” he told BBC Wales Live. “Especially the injuries and the pressures of being in a professional environment. ‘’I definitely didn’t feel as if there was a lot of support around this sort of injured group within rugby. ‘’I didn’t feel as if I could say anything because I was letting down teammates, coaches and end of the day, I still needed to get a contract.’’ His feelings of isolation intensified following the rapid succession of his grandparents’ deaths. He further explained, ‘’It started off like sort of anxiety,” he added. “My heart would start racing and I’d get shortness of breath.’’ He recounted becoming overwhelmed and contemplating suicide, stating: “I didn’t really feel anything, I just felt empty.” Morgan indicated that after disclosing his struggles, he received significant assistance from his club, the Swansea-based Ospreys. ‘’I can’t fault the club, they were amazing,’’ he said. ‘’They gave me the time and the space I needed and the opportunity to go back if I wanted to take it.’’ However, he unequivocally stated that he does not envision a return to professional rugby, noting: “People ask me now, ‘do you want to get back into rugby?’ ‘’I’ve had the opportunity to get back in and I’ve said no, every time. I’d rather be happy than have all those benefits of being a professional rugby player.’’ Currently, he manages a fitness facility and works as a coach, expressing a desire for enhanced support systems for athletes. “It’s putting a space for those conversations to take place and the people of power within rugby saying ‘you’re struggling, what can we do to help?’ ‘’It’s the culture and understanding the individual and what they need.’’ Lloyd Ashley, also a former Ospreys player, has been named the mental health and wellbeing lead by the Welsh Rugby Players Association, a professional organization. He commented, ‘’Just generally as a society we need to find it easier to check in on each other,” he said. Ashley expressed his hope that insights gained within rugby would extend to other sports and broader society. ‘’The fact that we don’t just say when somebody says to us ‘how are you?’, we don’t just go, ‘yeah good, you?’, without even thinking about it,” he said. ‘’I hope that trickles into everybody’s lives because it’s important that we have spaces where we feel safe enough to be honest.” Dan Lydiate, an international player, shared his belief that conditions have improved since his initial appearance for Wales in 2009. The 36-year-old Grand Slam winner remarked, ‘’I think we’re talking about mental health more,” said the 36-year-old Grand Slam winner. “There’s more of an awareness of what’s going on in people’s lives which is a positive move.’’ He disclosed that rugby provided crucial support after his father’s death two years prior. ‘’The only thing that was normal for me was to just get back into rugby and play the following week,” he added. ‘’I miss him now. Where I jump in the car, first thing I’d do, I’d pick up the phone and ring him on my way back. ‘’For all my career, until two years ago, that’s what we did every day.’’ He expressed empathy for the challenges faced by players. ‘’In rugby, people see the highs but they don’t see the lows,’’ he said. ‘’They don’t see when you’re battered and bruised and laid up in a hospital bed and struggling to put a pair of pants on because you’ve broken bones and stuff like that. ‘’It’s not all smiles on faces. It is a tough career on the body and the mind.’’ Shane Lewis-Hughes, a 27-year-old Wales international and Dragons teammate, asserted that discussions concerning mental health should occur routinely. He commented, ‘’I think as a man, especially in a sporting environment, it’s almost like sometimes you bury your problems and you think they’re going to stay away but they don’t,” he said. In an official statement, the WRU declared: “It is always difficult to hear of problems experienced by individuals from within the rugby family and, whilst our hearts go out to anyone who is struggling or has struggled in this area, we are also extremely grateful to and encouraging of the players who are bravely speaking out on this subject.” The WRU further mentioned that Dr. Dale Thomas, a clinical psychologist, collaborated with both national teams and the Welsh Rugby Players Association. “With over 300 member clubs and districts, Welsh rugby is a pervasive and positive force in this area throughout the country, with our clubs serving as hubs and gathering places for all those involved to share problems and help each other,” it added. The statement concluded by expressing the WRU’s “very proud” stance on its proactive engagement through community rugby, advocating for all participants to prioritize their physical and mental well-being. Individuals impacted by the themes in this report can reach out to the BBC Action Line. Additional information is available by watching BBC Wales Live at 10:40 GMT on Wednesday on BBC1 Wales or via iPlayer. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.