#5. Dillon Hunt (New Zealand) – Retired
In an interview with the New Zealand Herald, the All Black revealed he has decided to retire from rugby after battling with symptoms brought on by his most recent concussion for more than a year.
That head knock, which came while playing for North Harbour against Bay of Plenty in the final round of the 2020 NPC, was one of many Hunt endured throughout his six-year professional playing career.
However, after having returned to action too soon more often that not, as he did in that match after sustaining a head knock against Waikato eight weeks earlier, concussion symptoms have lingered with Hunt 12 months on.
At its worst, those symptoms include “headaches, just being in a complete fog where you can’t think”, to the point where he “can’t handle any sort of noise or light”.