Fans name the rugby players whose unfulfilled potential 'upset them the most'

Whether that's down to injury, their own mentality, or sheer bad luck, we've seen it happen all too often.

As exciting as it can be to watch youngsters rising to prominence, even the likes of Marcus Smith should be treated with caution. 

It's simply impossible to predict how any rugby stars career trajectory will pan out long-term. 

One England fan begged the question on Reddit of which player's "unfulfilled potential" was most upsetting and it's certainly got fans reminiscing about what might have been. 

The names didn't seem to stop with hundreds of fans weighing in with the most frustrating cases in recent memory. 

We've picked out a few of the best. 

The magical Fijian wing who scored tries of wonder for fun but couldn’t alas really cope with life away from his Pacific paradise. Built like a prop but with 10.4 100m speed and the balance of a tightrope walker he could blast his way through, absolutely kill you for pace on the outside or tiptoe delicately along the touchline.

Five England starts in total and just one in the last 12 years is an absolutely pitiful and unfairly meagre return for the most talented English playmaker of his generation.

Three Test match starts at hooker and one at No.8 in a 14-year long Test career is simply not acceptable for probably the best overseas player to play in the Premiership. What a waste and what on earth were South Africa thinking of? This man was a quite brilliant all-round rugby player and team enhancer.

‘Sinbad’ was one of the most gloriously talented England wings of his generation yet somehow ended up with only ten caps with just seven starts.

 

Not entirely his fault, perhaps, but despite the fanfare and the money, one of the best players in league lasted less than a year in union.