Transition troubled Vickerman

ARU offers support for players, coaches

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.

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

‘‘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.

The ARU’s Rob Clarke said players and coaches had been offered counselling following Vickerman’s death.

Clarke was in charge of the Brumbies front office when Vickerman made his Super Rugby debut and paid tribute to the giant lock, describing him as ’’a gentle giant of a man.’’

Clarke felt sporting organisations needed to work harder on the issue of players’ mental health

‘‘I think it’s something that we, as administrators, need to continue to be ever vigilant on and the transition from being a professional sportsman into the world after sport can be challenging.

‘‘We’ve seen it in a number of sports and we are looking at how we can invest expertise and resources to try and help smooth that transition for all of our players and I know a lot of the other sports as well,’’ he said.

Vickerman’s death has shocked the rugby world. Leading Wallabies and All Blacks players have paid their tributes, the All Blacks tweeting that they ‘‘join the rugby family in mourning the passing of former Wallabies lock Dan Vickerman. Rest in Peace.’’

Former Wallaby Simon Poidevin said: ‘‘Absolute tragedy, we are all in shock’’.

It’s been a tough year or so for the sport. Vickerman’s death follows those of All Blacks giant Jonah Lomu, great South African halfback Joost van der Westhuizen, aged 45, and former All Black loose forward Sione Lauaki, 35.