England rugby star Emeka Ilione has completed a remarkable six-year medical degree, joining a select group of players who have balanced professional rugby with a career in medicine.
The Leicester Tigers back-rower qualified in 2026 after studying at the University of Nottingham.
The 24-year-old spent six years juggling lectures, exams and the demands of professional rugby.
It's an impressive achievement for the young England forward, but he's certainly not the first player to combine rugby with medicine.
What's next?
Despite earning his medical qualifications, Ilione says rugby remains his immediate focus.
"As for what comes next, I'm not entirely sure what the future holds. For now, I'm excited to embrace the next chapter of my rugby career and see where it leads, while knowing that the experiences and lessons from medicine will always remain an important part of who I am."
Whether he eventually swaps the changing room for a hospital ward remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Dr Emeka Ilione has already accomplished something remarkable while still competing at the highest level of English rugby.
Here are seven others who became doctors.
Seven rugby stars who became doctors
1. Jamie Roberts (Wales)
The former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre graduated from Cardiff University in 2013.
Roberts, who won 94 Wales caps, returned to NHS medical training in 2025, more than a decade after completing his degree.
2. Tom Rees (England)
The former Wasps captain won 15 England caps before injuries cut short his playing career.
Rees later retrained as a doctor and went on to work in the NHS.
3. Jannie du Plessis (South Africa)
The former Springboks prop was already a qualified doctor when he helped South Africa win the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
4. Felipe Contepomi (Argentina)
The former Argentina captain qualified as a doctor while playing professional rugby in Europe.
He also won 87 international caps.
5. Geoff Cross (Scotland)
The former Scotland prop earned 40 international caps while balancing rugby with his medical career.
6. Jonathan Webb (England)
The former England full-back played in the 1991 Rugby World Cup final before becoming an orthopaedic surgeon.
7. Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina)
The former Argentina prop won 55 international caps and also qualified as a doctor.
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