Sean Long has revealed that he contemplated committing suicide earlier this year.
The 37-year-old former Great Britain scrum-half has been suffering with depression for the past two-and-a-half years after retiring from the sport in 2011 due to injury.
"I didn't finish playing on my terms really," he told The People. "It was the injuries. I didn't know at the time but I've had depression and suffered from anxiety over two-and-a-half years.
"I didn't know what depression was. It's not something men talk about. I just felt a little bit weird, a little bit different. I had family problems as well.
"I tried to take an overdose then I was going to go into the garage and try to start the car with the door down. That's all I could get in my head. Next day I couldn't remember any of it. I found out later who helped me."
Doctors released Long from hospital only after his mother Pamela and brother Karl agreed to look after him.
Subhankar Mondal
