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Wasps issue statement following Kearnan Myall's recent revelations
By Online Editors
Wasps claim they were shocked and saddened to learn about Kearnan Myall’s recent revelations on his struggles with mental health during his time in rugby.
One of a dozen players who departed the Premiership club at the end of last season, the second row graphically reflected on his pro rugby career in a no-holds-barred UK newspaper on Monday.
In the in-depth feature with The Guardian he recounted a suicide attempt while in Dubai and also revealed he failed a drug test after taking cocaine on a night out. Having left rugby, the 32-year-old is now preparing to take a PhD in Psychiatry at Oxford University.
“Player welfare and mental health is something we at Wasps take very seriously,” read a club statement on Tuesday. “We are shocked and saddened to learn of former lock Kearnan Myall’s recent revelations about his struggles with mental health during his time in rugby.
“Suicide, depression, alcoholism and drug abuse are not avenues which anyone should have to go down, and, in whatever way possible, we as rugby clubs must support individuals to ensure no players or staff are faced with these perilous situations.
‘Kearnan, who spent six years at Wasps, is an intelligent, extremely highly-respected and highly-regarded individual, and it is important that his story prevents others from experiencing similar problems. It is imperative, that rugby players at all levels worldwide are supported not just physically, but mentally.
"Kearnan is researching mindfulness and mental health issues among athletes and as part of this, he will be conducting some of his research working with the Wasps academy to help the next generation.
“Hopefully, Kearnan’s work will assist players in coping with the stresses of the industry and prevent others from going through the same issues as he did during some of his career. We wish Kearnan the very best in his studies and fully support him in trying to make a difference, not just across the world of rugby, but across all sports.
“With the support of the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) and also club doctors and GPs, we would always encourage players or staff to utilise the support which is on offer on a regular basis, and will continue to remind them who they should contact if or when they feel that they require the support.
"RPA members who may be struggling with their mental health can access the RPA’s 24/7 confidential counselling service by calling 0044 1373 858 080, or for more information visit therpa.co.uk/lifttheweight."
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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