Former England and Northampton Saints star Ben Foden has swapped fame for a normal 9 to 5 job in New York City.
Foden, a key player when England won the Six Nations in 2011, had been playing for Rugby New York since 2019.
“I feel extremely blessed to have moved in to a brand new profession that excites me and gets me out of bed in the morning,” wrote Foden on Instagram.
“For many professional athletes the transition can very testing and a difficult time in their lives. When you play professional sport, you tend to be blinkered and think the lifestyle will last forever.
“Until one day, that dreaded time comes when no contract is offered or an injury puts a handbrake on your future plans and your left thinking, what now?
“If I could offer one piece of advice to young rugby players it’s to have one eye on the future, as no one knows what will happen in the future.
“Use your time to make connections and plan for the future – no one else will do this for you, it’s completely on YOU to make sure when the time comes or is forced upon you, you can leave the game on good terms and step right in to the next adventure.”
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5 England internationals who made drastic career changes
Here are some of the most interesting things England international rugby players have got up to since hanging up their boots…
#1. Martin Bayfield – Actor
Despite now being the face of BT Sport’s Gallagher Premiership coverage, the giant second-row has done a fair bit of acting. He appeared in all of the Harry Potter films playing the half-giant Hagrid, as Robbie Coltrane’s body and stunt double. He also appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, as a young Rubeus Hagrid. Continuing the acting theme, he also played a cyclops in Jonathan Liebesman’a Wrath of the Titans, which was the sequel to 2010 movie Clash of the Titans.
