Rugby is a sport that doesn’t have the longest average career length, meaning that despite the well paid role, some players may choose to venture into different industries post-retirement. In many cases, we will often see former professionals head into coaching or even punditry, keeping within the realms of the sport; however, there are a few former players who have chosen to pursue lifelong passions or even just completely change their role.
Just as rugby continues to evolve beyond the pitch – influencing fitness, media, and even themed entertainment from documentaries to casino online culture – the careers of former players show how diverse life after sport can become.
So today, we will be taking a look at some of the most unusual career paths chosen by former rugby professionals after retirement.
Dan Crowley
Dan Crowley is a former Australian international who accumulated over 50 appearances for the Wallabies as a prop. Not only did Crowley just play for his national team, but he was also able to feature in three World Cups in 1991, 1995, and 1999, his final year with the Wallabies. His sensational international career, in which he won two World Cups, was topped off by over 125 appearances for the Queensland Reds. After his retirement, Crowley took on a role as an undercover police officer in Queensland, specialising in busting drug rings across the Gold Coast. He even produced his own book, ‘Undercover Prop’, and works as a motivational speaker, delivering inspiring talks around the world.
Shane Monahan
Despite not having quite as successful a career as the previously mentioned Dan Crowley, Shane Monahan was a centre who played over 60 games for Rotherham and Gloucester in four years, accumulating over 110 points. As a youngster, Monahan even received a call-up to represent his country with Ireland’s Under 20s, making a handful of appearances in 2007. Since drawing a close on his career, Monahan has begun to pursue a career he had already been working on during his career, becoming a respected artist. He has built up a portfolio in recent years, displaying pieces on his own website, even taking on commissioned work.
George Gregan
Another big name in Australian rugby is former Wallabies captain George Gregan. The Zambian born star featured in the same 1999 Australian World Cup winning squad as the previously mentioned Dan Crowley, but would not retire from his international duties until 2007. He made over 135 appearances in Super Rugby for the Brumbies, winning the title twice before moving into a new phase as a French club, Toulon and opting to retire in Japan. He did briefly return to Rugby in 2012 as an assistant coach for his former Super Rugby side, but pursued his main passion alongside his wife by beginning his own chain of coffee shops in Sydney, GG Espresso. Ever since the initial coffee shop launch, he has scaled his business to include bars, restaurants, and even a catering company, bringing in annual revenues that exceed $4.5 million.
Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw is a former professional New Zealand-born flanker who represented the Crusaders for the majority of his senior career. McCaw has received a legendary reputation in the world of New Zealand rugby, holding the record for captaining the All Blacks to 110 test wins out of 148 matches as captain. During his highly decorated career, he managed to win two Rugby World Cups, four Super Rugby titles, three Rugby World Player of the Year awards, and World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Player of the Decade award. In 2011, he even turned down the opportunity to be awarded a knighthood, as it didn’t feel right for him to receive the title while still playing. In 2015, McCaw brought his career to an end and chose to pursue a dream of becoming a helicopter pilot. The now fully trained commercial helicopter pilot, working for Christchurch Helicopters, supports the local area with tourism, agriculture, firefighting, and even in rescue missions.
Allan Jacobsen
Known for his large structure, Allan Jacobsen is an Edinburgh Rugby legend, making over 280 appearances as a prop for the capital. His strong form at the league level resulted in his call-ups to the Scottish national side, where he spent 10 years, making over 60 appearances. Jacobsen was a symbol of loyalty and was admired by many professionals for this, spending his entire career at Edinburgh, spanning from 1999 until his eventual retirement in 2013, a year after he announced he would be stepping down from international duties. After the two time Scottish League title winner hung up his boots, Jacobsen pursued a new career as a fully qualified plumber, initially taking on work before launching his own company, installing high-end, luxury bathrooms. His company is located where he spent most of his life in the middle of Edinburgh, and is a business that is still running as of 2025. The beginning of this journey for the prop forward is only a symbol of his dedication and hard work ethic that was adored by Scottish rugby fans.
