Gavin Henson has been voted the biggest waste of talent in rugby history

Many have lacked that trait and for all the talent they had, their careers never reached the astronomical heights of super stardom or even rugby immortality as some had envisioned.

Others had their promising careers cut short by unforeseeable circumstances.

Here are the 5 most wasted talents in world rugby history.

The Fijian wing possessed magical skills that allowed him to score incredible tries effortlessly, but he struggled to adapt to life outside his Pacific island paradise. Despite his imposing size, comparable to a prop, he was lightning-fast with a 100m time of 10.4 seconds and possessed the agility of a tightrope walker.

He could bulldoze his way through defenders, outrun them with incredible speed, or delicately tiptoe along the touchline.

Caucau's exceptional talent earned him a spot in any all-time Super Rugby top ten tries compilation. During his heyday with the Auckland Blues, even renowned players such as Doug Howlett, Mils Muliaina, and Carlos Spencer played second fiddle to him.

However, Caucau was not without his flaws, sometimes displaying ill-discipline and disorganization. He did not prioritize training, lost his passport more than once, and frequently let down both his club and his country.

The 2013 British & Irish Lion quit Wasps in order to pursue a lucrative career in the NFL, having grown disillusioned with rugby union.

The 29-year-old was one of the most recognised names in the domestic game, but his continued absence from the international set-up – having won just one England cap on the 2013 tour of Argentina – had left him frustrated and fed up of continuously being overlooked. What a waste.

Despite being one of the most brilliantly skilled England wings of his generation, 'Sinbad' was only able to secure ten caps with just seven starts.

For a couple of years, he was the shining star of the Hong Kong Sevens, surpassing all of the Fijian and Kiwi speedsters.

In the memorable 2002 final, he even scored a hat-trick as England defeated Fiji 33-20.

Although he was short, he possessed deceptive strength and power, with a lethal combination of great footwork and long-range speed. Fans at Kingsholm adored him, but the same couldn't be said for England.

It's a pitiful and unjustly meager return for the most gifted English playmaker of his generation, with only five starts for England in total and just one in the past 12 years.

Despite his exceptional talent, England coaches have been hesitant to put their trust in him, while being more lenient towards other less talented and ill-behaved players. Although he was somewhat brash in his early years, he was not the only one, and his reputation suffered due to his associations with beautiful women.

While there have been a couple of alcohol-related incidents involving him, others who have committed far worse have gone unnoticed or received less severe punishment, as the wider rugby community is well aware.

Henson, hailed as one of the most talented Welsh players of his generation, led Wales to victory in two Grand Slams and remained unbeaten in games he started until March 2009, when they lost to Ireland.

However, his career has been overshadowed by reports of his off-field behavior. Sadly, the words of former Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, David Moffett, have proven to be prophetic.

Moffett had written in October 2005 that while Henson had enormous potential, no one wanted him to be remembered solely for his kick against England and relationship with Charlotte Church.