5 Hugely Hyped Rugby Players Who Faded Away

Sometimes injuries or psychological issues cause a player's career to take a nosedive but at other times it is simply a matter of media and fans vastly overestimating his abilities or potential.

Ill-considered transfers have also undone many great prospects. Here are five prospects who faded away...

The speedster has gone from being involved in an England training camp and tipped by head coach Eddie Jones to be a future superstar to playing in Israel in the space of three seasons. He was also nominated for Junior World Player of the Year in 2018.

Ibitoye made the controversial decision to leave Harlequins in 2020, but would be a free agent just a few months later after securing his release by mutual consent.

The 23-year-old, who scored eight tries for England U20, then joined Montpellier as a medical joker but was released without making an appearance in late 2021.

After failing to find a club, he signed with Tel Aviv Heat, an Israeli team, in the Rugby Europe Super Cup.

Making his debut against Wales, when the then-18-year-old was repeatedly dumped (see video below) by Welsh centre Gavin Henson is infamous.

Cardiff in February 2005 set back Tait’s development significantly, but he still played in the Rugby World Cup in 2007. After a quiet tournament, Tait lit up the final against South Africa with a dashing break that led to Mark Cueto’s infamously disallowed try.

But if Tait’s footwork in the final demonstrated his talent, then he is still to realise his potential. Shifts from outside centre, to wing and then to full-back stunted his progress and were indicative of a possible star who didn’t quite fit the mould in any rugby union position. Perhaps he should have stayed with rugby sevens.

The man who tackled Tait. Despite two Six Nations winner’s medals, Henson falls firmly into the category of those that failed to fulfill their potential.

But despite his love for hobnobbing with C-list celebrities, appearing on reality TV shows and bottled tan, all of which seemed to take precedence over his rugby, Henson actually didn’t have that bad a career.

He's now running a pub back in Wales.

There was a time when Atiga was seen as such a potent attacking weapon that British Lions coach Clive Woodward singled out the Aucklander as the man of whom he was most wary ahead of the 2005 tour to New Zealand.

But despite the centre/fullback looking set for superstardom only played one test for the All Blacks, against Tonga in the 2003 Rugby World Cup after being called into the squad as an injury replacement for Ben Blair.

However, after struggling injury problems of his own, Atiga made the decision to take a break from professional rugby in 2008. He returned to rugby two years later and eventually joined Edinburgh in 2012 but was forced to retire two seasons later due to season due to joint disease.

After being nominated for Breakthrough player of the year in 2016; he won three caps for the Brave Blossoms the same year, scoring three tries, and was labelled the 'Japanese Jonah Lomu'. The 25-year-old nevertheless hasn't played for Japan since and has struggled to make an impression for the Sunwolves in Super Rugby. He now plays for Kobelco Steelers in the Japanese Top League.