Eight rugby players who became business champions

Monday, 04 September 2017 at 19:22

byRugby Rucker

Rugby is a short career and with the physicality of the professional game, players need to think about what careers to pursue after they retire.

Even at the elite level players will not have the luxury afforded to many professional footballers whose exorbitant wages mean they don't have to worry about new careers after their playing days are over.

But there are plenty of examples of players who have forged successful business careers after retiring or while they're still playing rugby...

Here are eight of our favourites:

1. Jamie Heaslip

Heaslip has not let his successful rugby career get in the way of his other interests. He has a degree in medical engineering from DCU and has invested in some businesses.

This includes a share in Bear restaurant on South William Street, Dublin and in the company behind the Lovin’ Dublin website.

He also became involved in the pub trade in 2014 when, along with publican Noel Anderson and his Leinster teammates Sean O’Brien and the Kearney brothers, he opened the Bridge 1859 in Ballsbridge.

Heaslip spoke to ThinkBusiness about his experiences as an entrepreneur.

2. Phil Vickery

Following his retirement in 2010 due to injury, Vickery established his own fashion line named after his moniker.

Featuring rugby-inspired tops and T-shirts, shirts, footwear and knitwear, the Raging Bull brand is stocked in 30 House of Fraser stores and 90 independent retailers in the UK.

3. Francois Pienaar

Noted for his fiercely competitive spirit, he was the focus of Oscar-nominated movie “Invictus” in 2009.

Off the field, the Transvaal-native holds law degrees from the University of Johannesburg and has developed a successful career in the sports and media industry.

With interests in a number of ventures, including a branding and logistics business, a below-the-line marketing and activation business, and a sportswear manufacturing business called No Limits, Pienaar was a major figure in the establishment of Varsity Sport competitions, helping develop athletes across a number of sports at South Africa’s top universities.

4. Neil Back

Following his 66 caps and flourishing club career at Leicester, Back has sought to replicate such success in the insurance industry by co-founding Adelphi Special Risks.

Based in Milton Keynes, the specialist and corporate risks broker also provides private clients insurance as an ancillary service and reportedly has Lotus F1 on its books.

Since retirement, the 42-year-old and his wife Erica have opened their own coffee shop chain in Australia under the Gregan Group brand.

Combining the former rugby star’s contacts and leadership experience with Erica’s hotels and restaurant sector expertise, the pair have established 16 GG Espresso cafes across Sydney, with their brand also extending to bars, restaurants and a catering company. Employing up to 280 people, the company has annual revenues of more than £4.7m.

Former Wales fullback Paul Thorburn will always be remembered for the longest penalty kick in the history of the game (some 70 metres) when playing against Scotland in 1986. But since retiring he has carved out a successful career as a business consultant.

He also worked for the former Welsh Development Agency on inward investment. He is currently a business development consultant for Certus Technology Group7

7. Chris Wyles and Alistair Hargreaves

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Six years ago, Saracens team-mates Alistair Hargreaves and Chris Wyles were sharing a pint in the Elgin pub in Maida Vale discussing what life would hold after rugby.

Various ideas were discussed before Hargreaves had a lightbulb moment. The idea was sitting right in front of them. “Why don’t we make our own beer?”

Today, Wolfpack lager, the pair’s flagship beer, is served in 50 pubs and bars across London.

8. Justin Marshall

Ex-All Black Justin Marshall started a new career in the Welsh hotel business when he was hired as head of promotions at the Corran resort and hotel in Laugharne.

The former Osprey was brought on board at the Corran which was formerly known as Hurst House and previously owned by Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey.