Eight Rugby players who had to retire too early

Today, we're bringing you a list of eight rugby players who retired too soon.

It sounds simple enough, but as you'll see, retirement doesn't always mean what it sounds like.

Confused? Then let's get to the list.

Leinster, Ireland and Lions wing Fitzgerald was been forced to retire from rugby on medical grounds aged 28 in June 2016.

Fitzgerald had struggled with a serious neck injury for several years and suffered another setback in Leinster's Pro12 final defeat by Connacht in May 2016.

Fitzgerald burst onto the international arena in 2006 but injury problems curtailed his career.

He did not make the 2007 or 2011 World Cup squads but finally made his World Cup debut against Canada in 2015.

After playing in every game of Ireland's Grand-Slam winning team in 2009, he was selected for the British and Irish Lions squad that summer, earning one cap against South Africa.

The former Blackrock College player won 154 caps in a glittering career with Leinster, with three Pro12 league titles along with three Heineken Cups.

Barry John is arguably the finest outside-half of all time. During his short playing career he was revered in Wales as "The King" and feared by opposition defences as a majestic yet unpredictable pivot behind the scrum.

The Wales and British & Irish Lions legend was 27 when he retired and there was no way back then because he professionalised himself by writing his autobiography and becoming a newspaper columnist.

He was in his prime, but his decision to go out at the top was not taken to preserve his reputation. He was the first rugby celebrity and felt uncomfortable with fame.

The final straw came for him when a young girl curtsied to "The King" as he opened a bank. Describing what he called "the monster of fame" as his reason for leaving his rugby career behind, John vanished from the public eye altogether. H

Born in New York City, Corbisiero represented England at age grade and Saxons levels before being handed his Test debut against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations.

Initially taking a 12-month break, his sabbatical seems to have become indefinite.

The England props plans on returning to rugby this season remain on hold since being taken on as an analyst for NBC, the American broadcaster which has started screening Premiership rugby in the USA.

Former England international Tom Rees was been forced to retire at the age of 27 because of a serious knee injury in March 2012..

Rees, who was capped 15 times, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last summer and has been advised to stop playing immediately.

The at the time Wasps captain made his club debut in 2003 and made 113 appearances.

He endured three shoulder operations between April 2009 and December 2010 before his most recent setback in August last year, restricting him to 18 first-team appearances in his last three campaigns.

Bristol flanker Ross Rennie has announced his retirement with immediate effect because of injury in January 2015.

Aged 28, the Scotland international had not played since October and had been seeking specialist advice about a neurological problem.

Ulster, Ireland and British & Irish Lions back rower Stephen Ferris confirmed that he was to retire from rugby, following a long battle with injury in June 2014.

Ferris won 35 caps for Ireland and made 106 appearances for Ulster. The 28-year-old represented the national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and played in all five games of Ireland's 2009 Grand Slam success.

That same year he was selected for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa and scored two tries before injury prevented him from claiming a Test place.

He won his last cap for Ireland against England in the RBS 6 Nations in March 2012.

The Newcastle prop was been forced to retire from rugby due to a spinal injury in October 2015, aged 27.

The 27-year-old Tonga international was hurt during Newcastle’s Premiership opener against Sale Sharks in September 2016

Announcing the news on Newcastle’s website, Vea said: “I took a bad knock in the game against Sale and spent a few nights in hospital, and when I had my scan results unfortunately things didn’t come back too well.

“I was left paralysed for five or six minutes on the field, where I couldn’t feel my whole body. That is enough for anybody in a lifetime and the risk of that happening again if I was to return to playing is quite high. It is obviously not the way I wanted to go.

“At the age I am and the way I felt I was playing, I was planning on a fair few more years. But having spoken to medical professionals and specialists, I have had to just accept the fact there is more to life than playing the game I love.”

Scotland centre Joe Ansbro was forced to retire from rugby in May2013 following a neck break he suffered the previous summer.

The, at the time 27-year-old London Irish star, sustained the injury while playing in a pre-season match in August.

Despite extensive rehabilitation, he was been advised on medical grounds to retire with immediate effect.

Ansbro scored three tries in his 11 Scotland appearances.