After sustaining a career-ending injury at just 23 years old, many players would be left struggling to adjust to the dramatic change in emotional, mental and physical lifestyle changes no longer playing rugby professionally brings. ”.
Harry Robinson, who was known for his tenacity and creativity on the field has shown true willpower and determination in achieving a highly successful transition from rugby into a bright and promising profession.
At 23, Harry sustained a spinal cord injury which cut short his already impressive rugby career. Speaking at an interview with the WRU, Harry commented "I look back on my playing career and feel immensely proud of what I've done - playing for your country once is a huge accolade and no-one can ever take that away from you so I look back and I'm really content with my career even though it was cut short."
"It was tough to come to terms with the end of my playing career but honestly, within the first couple of hours I was thinking 'you're lucky to be where you are' - it sounds strange but I'd already had about seven years of playing rugby and achieved quite a lot in that time frame." Fortunately, Robinson's dramatic change of circumstances didn't catch him totally by surprise.
"I was already thinking one step ahead when I was playing what I wanted to do after rugby but I thought I would have six months of rehab and give it everything I had and fingers crossed it will come right. But very quickly I realised that with the damage done to my spinal chord, my physical attributes were shot - so I knew I had to get certain plans in place."
Robinson puts his successful transition down to being proactive in starting to establish a post rugby career for himself while playing; ultimately landing him in an advantageous position when the unfortunate injury occurred. Whilst playing, Harry completed his CeMAP (Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice) exams, whilst also completing his diploma in financial planning with FTSE 100 company St James' Place Wealth Management. Since graduating, Harry has set up his own practice Harry Robinson Wealth Management - dealing with mortgages, protection, pensions and investments, in conjunction with St James' Place.
"I would simply say to any player, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Definitely not, even if you sign a professional contract. Even if it is one day a week at night college, self-learning, just find something you are passionate about and pursue it. You never know when your playing career is going to end and you never think it is going to happen to you”.
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