When former All Black Sonny Bill Williams spoke from hospital before his recent neck surgery, his message was not simply about pain. It was a warning to young athletes and their parents about the physical price that can come with a professional sporting career.

The professional boxer and retired dual-code international player was preparing for his fourth neck operation, but made a wider point that health consequences don’t always end after a career playing sports.

While he had no regrets, acknowledging that a rugby career provides income, identity, opportunity, community and pride, he said no organisations were checking in on him or paying his bills for health consequences from his playing days.

His comments point to a question sport is yet to answer: who carries the cost when an athlete’s body keeps paying after the final whistle?

The health cost of playing rugby

Concussion usually dominates the discussion about long-term player welfare. That attention is justified and concerns about repeated head impacts have reshaped rugby’s safety debates.

But concussion is only one part of a broader picture. Retired athletes can also live with osteoarthritis, chronic pain, reduced mobility, hip replacements, back pain, mental health challenges and the loss of identity that can follow a career in elite sport.

Research suggests these problems are not isolated. A New Zealand Rugby health study found former rugby players reported more serious........

© The Conversation