Rugby's all-time cap leader, Alun Wyn Jones, has been diagnosed with a heart condition following his recent retirement from the sport at the age of 38.
The veteran player, who concluded his career with Toulon, is now advocating for increased screening of players to identify such health issues.
Jones underwent crucial tests before bidding farewell to Toulon, prompting him to emphasize the necessity of more frequent health assessments for fellow athletes.
"I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation," he told The Telegraph.
He added: "There is a lot of talk about welfare in rugby at the minute, but does that cover everything?
"Is it just things that we can afford? Surely the sport has come on to the point where players should be screened more often, especially at a time when the demands in the game are growing.
"I was very lucky how it worked out and will forever be grateful to Toulon for signing me. Had they not offered me a contract, I may never have known about the heart condition.
"The cardiac doctor picked it up straight away. My heartbeat was like a galloping horse with six legs. It was all over the shop."
et your England rugby tickets to the 2024 Six Nations matches at viagogo, the world’s leading ticket marketplace.
New career:
The rugby legend's off-the-field move into the drinks industry has seen him create a coffee-infused rum named Mimosa.
The brand celebrates the pioneering spirit of the Welsh people who embarked on a life-changing voyage to Patagonia in Argentina in the 19th century.
That voyage began in 1865 when a ship named the Mimosa set sail from Liverpool with 153 passengers on board who dreamed of establishing Welsh-speaking communities in Patagonia.
George North give it a tremendous review, saying: "It tastes 😍"
Alun Wyn Jones facts:
- He is the first player in the professional era to have played in nine consecutive Tests for the Lions having been involved in all three series
- Alun Wyn Jones has a law degree from Swansea University and he graduated in 2010
- nothing. Second rows wearing white rugby boots was quite unusual. That’s how he got the nickname Alun Gwyn Boots
- His father, Tim Jones, was a respected solicitor who also played rugby for Swansea, and his funeral in 2016 drew hundreds from the legal and rugby worlds. One of life’s true characters.
- Wife of the Lions captain and mum to their two daughters Mali and Efa, Anwen, who is a doctor of physiology, is a Welsh-speaking physiology lecturer at Cardiff’s Metropolitan University.
7 rugby players now making it big in business after smart investments
Here’s some of the most prominent rugby players to have made waves in business.
Stuart Hogg
After confirming his retirement, Hogg said in a statement: "A new career beckons and I will attack in the same manner as I play the game."
The Scotland legend has revealed he isn't too keen on coaching, but will remain in the game as a pundit after making his debut on BBC during the 2023 Six Nations.
PUNDITRY:
Sources tell RUCK that BT Sport (soon to be TNT Sports) are keen. to recruit the fullback as a key part of their 2023/24 Premiership coverage.
RESTAURANT OWNER:
He is the co-owner of steak house Finsbay Flatiron in Glasgow.
The focus for Finsbay Flatiron is steak, specialising in 8oz flat irons (as the name suggests) and steaks from £8 on weekdays and £10 on weekends, as well as sides like mac and cheese and triple cooked chips.
DISTILLERY:
He's a director of a distillery named Maiden Batch.
Caulker's is a collaborative effort between five Glasgow men, two of whom happen to be British Lions and Scotland rugby internationals, Hogg and Alastair Kellock. The bottle is signed by all five.
Jack Nowell
The England and Exeter Chiefs winger is the co-owner of The Swordfish Inn back in his hometown of Cornwall.
Sitting on the harbourfront, the pub has been a favourite of local fishermen, artists and visitors alike for as long as anyone cares to remember and is well-known for its rugged charm and atmosphere.
He is also a director of .
Phil Vickery
Established in 2003 by the Rugby World Cup Winner & MBE, Raging Bull clothing has grown from grassroots rugby to a brand that punches well above its weight having supplied sportswear to national and international level sides.
Vickery also opened Cheltenham based restaurant No.3 nine years after the former prop won Celebrity Masterchef. With a passion for food and people, Vickery can’t wait to welcome you all to No.3 for a truly memorable dining experience.
Manu Tuilagi
Making a Tuilagi Gin was often talked about in the early hours of the morning by the brothers after many gin and tonics. As there are fifteen players on the rugby pitch, they have added fifteen botanicals to their gin.
Some of the botanicals they use in their recipe are; Juniper, Coriander, Orris, Sage, Thyme, Mac cloves, Lavender, Rose and Orange peel.
Fran Cotton
Cotton Traders is an English clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith.
They currently operate 80 retail stores nationwide in high street, retail outlets, garden centres and travel locations. They also provide an overseas delivery service to over 25 countries, with dedicated websites for customers internationally, in Ireland and Australia.
George Kruis
It was from personal experiences with recovery from injuries that Kruis and former teammate Dominic Day discovered cannabidiol (CBD) and from their positive reactions with the product he set up fourfivecbd – a range of balms, oils, gels and capsules that incorporates CBD.
Their products are now sold in Next and on their website here.
Johnny Sexton
The veteran fly-half confirmed in an interview with the Irish Times that he likely won't go into coaching.
Sexton said: "I would never say never, you never know what life is going to throw at you
“It wouldn’t be my plan straight away, if an offer came in, it wouldn’t be right for me to coach with guys I played with the last number of years.
"I certainly wouldn’t want to jeopardise this year, because if they find out you’re coaching them, the relationship changes straight away. I won’t be doing it for the foreseeable future.
"Rugby is my passion, it’s all I’ve known. I’ve been doing it for 20 years, longer maybe, when I was a kid. But I think it’s important to step away from it to try another walk of life. And then we’ll see what happens."
“I’ll go and see if I can do something in the business world, I’ve been doing a bit of work experience there over the last few years, one day a week, so I’ll go into that and see how it goes.
“It might not be for me. I might get the itch straight away and come out of retirement, play for St Marys!”
The previous year saw a significant rise in accumulated profits at the management company owned by Johnny Sexton, the renowned rugby captain of Ireland.
The profits surged by nearly
