Just over two years ago, the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA), in partnership with Zurich, launched ‘Tackle Your Feelings’, a mental health campaign that saw rugby players such as Alan Quinlan and Jack McGrath talk about the issues they faced off the pitch.

A survey completed at the time showed that while the vast majority of people know they should be proactive about their mental health, almost one in four don’t know how to take the first step to deal with issues they may have. Of even more concern was the finding that 71% of people believe they would be treated differently if it was known they had a mental health problem.

These findings do not surprise former Munster and Irish rugby player Alan Quinlan, who has been very open about his own mental health problems.

“There’s a fear and stigma that’s still attached to having a mental health problem, so we have to keep working at breaking that down,” he says.

53% of people never discuss

their mental health problems

Another interesting detail from the survey was that 53% of people never discussed their mental health problems with anyone. Alan understands why that figure is so high because he was one of those people.

“I was in that situation. You bottle it up. You think it will go away. You hide it. You ignore it. You suffer through it. Then you think that’s it, it’s gone – that’s particularly the case with men. But the baggage is still there, deep in your mind, and sometimes it jumps out at you. If we put our problems out on the table, it helps. We don’t always get the perfect answer but if we endeavour to try, that is a much better approach.”

Sport can be heart breaking

Alan describes sport as an emotional rollercoaster; it can give you so many rewards but it can also be heart breaking.

“Losing is part and parcel of sport and you have to deal with the emotions around that. Then there’s injuries, not being picked for a team or playing badly yourself, so it can bring on a fair bit of negative emotion.

“So, sharing the fears, emotions and the negativity that sometimes gets hold of us is important. We need to get into the habit of doing that.”

He says that’s what Tackle Your Feelings is all about – being much more open and honest about our emotions.

“It’s trying to build a little bit of confidence in yourself, that you are a good person, you are honest and decent – that helps you feel a bit better. Holding on to trauma and fear is not the right thing to do.

“Take the first step, have the courage to open up and you will feel a lot better about it. That’s what Tackle Your Feelings is all about and I think it’s having a fantastic impact, not just in the rugby community but with the public in general. Big macho rugby players are not supposed to cry or show any emotion. We shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. After all, we all mess up, we all make mistakes.” CL

>> Solid support for young players

Rugby great Alan Quinlan understands the trauma young players go through trying to be like their heroes.

“A particularly difficult stage is the transition from 17 to 18 years of age where young lads have been prominent in a school or club or on one of the representative teams. Naturally, they think the next move is upwards – Irish under 20s or into an academy. When that doesn’t happen, it can be a really tricky time for them.”

At that age, they are trying to figure out what they are going to do with their lives, they are finishing secondary school, starting college and playing rugby, so it’s a difficult transition.

When it comes to mental health issues, he believes the IRFU is conscious of the duty of care it owes these young players.

“All the provinces are aware of the problem and have programmes to deal with it. Thanks to the hard work of the IRFU and the IRUPA, support networks are now in place, with sport psychologists and counsellors in every club.

As well as that, the IRFU also supports younger players in the 16 to 17 age group who play on the developmental squads. They are encouraged to have a good balance in their lives. Their education is important as injuries do happen and some guys make it and others don’t.

“Declan Kidney was superb on this. He wanted guys to keep up with their college work and to hold on to part-time work, to have a focus away from just the one thing,” says Alan.

Career-ending injuries

Serious injury is an occupational hazard for players and Alan says IRUPA has done a great job on educating young players on the dangers and pitfalls around professional rugby.

“I dislocated a shoulder in our 2003 World Cup match against Argentina and that was career threatening. So, too, was the knee reconstruction I had in the 2005-2006 season.

“They were major injuries and I would have had a lot of doubts and worries about how I was going to fight back to get on the provincial team again, not to mind the Irish team. So, injuries are very tough. With some guys, they don’t go away, they niggle on and eventually you have to call it a day.”

Quinlan on:

• Missing the 2009 Lions Tour after the incident with Leo Cullen: “I didn’t deal with it very well. I didn’t talk about it. I struggled with the huge disappointment. It was obvious despair, disappointment and heartbreak after what happened with Leo Cullen. I didn’t share the pain or how it affected not just my sporting but my personal life. I wasn’t in a good place for a couple of months. Then I did address it and I got the help and support I needed through Munster and our doctor. It’s something I will never get over it but I have accepted it.”

• Talking about emotions: “It used to be that men sharing their emotions or fears was showing weakness but thankfully that approach to mental health is changing now. People see sharing as a strength. It’s certainly changed my mindset. If we address an issue, whether it’s personal or sporting, at least we are talking about it and trying to solve it.”

• Getting help: “Getting help and advice from another person who has a clear thought process is useful. Life can be tricky, sometimes we make the right decisions, other times we don’t and they can affect how our future unfolds.”

• Sports people: “Courage is a word that’s not used a lot and I admire all sports people who have the courage to go out there and put themselves on the line and compete.”