2. Barry John
Barry John is arguably the finest outside-half of all time. During his short playing career he was revered in Wales as “The King” and feared by opposition defences as a majestic yet unpredictable pivot behind the scrum.
The Wales and British & Irish Lions legend was 27 when he retired and there was no way back then because he professionalised himself by writing his autobiography and becoming a newspaper columnist.
He was in his prime, but his decision to go out at the top was not taken to preserve his reputation. He was the first rugby celebrity and felt uncomfortable with fame.
The final straw came for him when a young girl curtsied to “The King” as he opened a bank. Describing what he called “the monster of fame” as his reason for leaving his rugby career behind, John vanished from the public eye altogether. H