Welsh rugby player quits sport for good after revealing suicide attempt

Former Ospreys scrum-half Harri Morgan has confirmed he won't return to rugby after taking a step back from the game to protect his mental health last year.

The 24-year-old, who also represented Wales U20s, announced in April 2023 that he would be standing down from professional rugby "for now", having attempted to take his own life two months earlier. In a brave social media post, he detailed his struggles with mental health, which were worsened by the loss of his grandparents and "consecutive rugby injuries" and culminated in him taking an overdose.

""For a number of years, I have suffered in silence," he wrote at the time. "Grieving the loss of my grandparents and consecutive rugby injuries are the main contributors to my mental health, causing stress and anxiety. On 5th February, I reached the lowest point of my life and regrettably, I took the decision to try to end it with an overdose."

"I have made the difficult decision to take some time out of professional rugby," Morgan added. "Rugby will always be my passion but, for now, I need to prioritise my mental and physical well-being. This isn't a goodbye to rugby forever, it's a goodbye for now."

However, over 18 months on, the Bridgend-born talent says he will not return to professional rugby at all, explaining that he'd "rather be happy," having already had his short career hampered by a series of serious injuries.

‘’A lot of the negatives were leading back to rugby and the impact that was having," he told BBC Wales Live. "Especially the injuries and the pressures of being in a professional environment.

‘’I definitely didn't feel as if there was a lot of support around this sort of injured group within rugby. I didn't feel as if I could say anything because I was letting down teammates, coaches and end of the day, I still needed to get a contract.’’

After both of his grandparents died within a short space of time, Morgan's mental health worsened, leading him to feel "empty" and consider taking his own life

‘’It started off like sort of anxiety," he said. "My heart would start racing and I'd get shortness of breath. I didn’t really feel anything, I just felt empty."

While he praised the Ospreys for the support they gave him after revealing his mental health struggles, Morgan says he has no plans to return to rugby. Instead, he now manages a gym and works as a fitness coach and hopes to help more players who are struggling with their mental health.

‘’I can’t fault the club, they were amazing,’’ he said. ‘’They gave me the time and the space I needed and the opportunity to go back if I wanted to take it.’

"People ask me now, 'do you want to get back into rugby?' ’I've had the opportunity to get back in and I've said no, every time. I'd rather be happy than have all those benefits of being a professional rugby player.’’

On his new venture, Morgan added: "It’s putting a space for those conversations to take place and the people of power within rugby saying 'you're struggling, what can we do to help? It's the culture and understanding the individual and what they need.’’