AUSTRALIA’S ANTHONY FAINGA’A has revealed the devastating impact of concussions and head injuries which have forced him to hang up his boots at the age of 32.
The Wallabies centre announced his decision on Wednesday and shared frightening details of how he needed to be physically propped up during his twin brother Saia’s wedding in 2016.
“In 2016 my twin brother got married and at the altar, I was actually getting held up because of the head knocks,” he told Fox Sports News.
“I’ve received a couple of really big head knocks over the course of my career and that actual particular head knock, I was standing up at the altar, getting held up. I got walked out by someone. I was godfather to my niece and I was sort of shaking as I was putting water over her head.”
Former Wallaby Anthony Fainga'a explains why concussion-related issues have forced him to announce his retirement from #rugby. pic.twitter.com/PAkxvLhumY
— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) February 6, 2019
Fainga’a, who won 23 Wallabies caps, played most of his career with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby before finishing his career with the Kintetsu Liners in Japan.
Despite the physical evidence, he said that the decision to retire was still one which he wrestled with, although he ultimately knew that he had no other option.
“I got a few head knocks last year. All of these head knocks, I had to make a decision, make a choice about what I want to do with my future. I love the rugby game so much but I needed to look after my mental health and this is what it came down to, it was really about mental health.
I can’t be crawling around sick. My wife would find me crawling to the bathroom sick, blurred vision all the time, I get run down really easy. It was really disappointing, some of the things that she had to put up with. I had to really own it.
“When I would speak it out loud, it was an easy decision. When I was thinking about it, it was like – how hard is this? I’m not going to quit, I’m going to play, I love the game, I’ve got offers to keep going, I should be playing still.”
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