SA-born former Wallaby star dies

This is sad. :( One of the best international locks during his time. I wonder what triggered him - failed business dealings maybe?

Condolences to his family.
 
Former Wallabies player Owen Finegan says team-mate Dan Vickerman confided to his friends about the difficulty in making the transition after retirement from rugby.

Vickerman, 37, died at his family home in Sydney on Saturday night. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances

"I think everyone was shocked by it. It was devastating — we all play on an old boys team called the Silver Foxes and Dan had expressed a number of times how difficult his transition was and it is difficult for a lot of professional sports people, especially when you've had 10 or more years at the top of the game," Finegan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

South Africa-born Vickerman played for the Wallabies from 2002 to 2011, retiring after that year's World Cup.

Vickerman's wife, Sarah, and his two sons would be offered help, Finegan, who captained Vickerman at the Brumbies as well as playing alongside him for the Wallabies, said.

"I'm sure the whole rugby community will come around them. I've only heard for about — well it hasn't even been 24 hours and you think to yourself could you have done anything to help him," he said.

"He's got a young family and they'll need all the support they can get. [It will] definitely be something that everyone will be offering and be very supportive to Sarah and the kids and their needs."

The Australian Rugby Union said sporting bodies needed to be vigilant in monitoring players making the transition after their rugby careers.
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...sition-difficulties-after-retiring-from-rugby

The NFL has a serious problem with this sort of thing. Players spend their entire lives devoted to the sport, pee-wee, primary school, high school, college/university and the pros, easily approaching two decades, and suddenly its all gone and they don't know what to do.
 
thestaggy said:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...sition-difficulties-after-retiring-from-rugby

The NFL has a serious problem with this sort of thing. Players spend their entire lives devoted to the sport, pee-wee, primary school, high school, college/university and the pros, easily approaching two decades, and suddenly its all gone and they don't know what to do.
Click to expand...

I felt sad for the dude - until I read he had a family and 2 kids. If it was just due to him struggling to cope with life after rugby and fame, then I have no sympathy for him. But then again, not knowing the full story....he could have been in financial difficulty and did it for life insurance etc.
 
ponder said:
Suicide apparently.

RIP
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If true, now his wife and kids have to suffer because woe-is-me I don't know what to do with my life? If this is the case then I have no sympathy for him, but condolences to his family who now have to deal with it...
 
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