Jono West, who many saw as a future Aussie international is facing up to the world today without rugby today.
A degenerative left knee injury has forced the former New South Wales Waratah into premature retirement at age 24.
He is a former Australian under-19 and under-21 player and many predicted a bright future for him.
"It's still too early to get my head thinking about a new direction," said the 197cm, 110kg second rower to The Daily Telegraph in Sydney.
He would have been competing with Justin Harrison and Dan Vickerman for a position in the NSW side.
"I was happy with how I went in 2003 and had been genuinely looking forward to the challenge.
"To be up against two Wallabies was a great chance. When anyone is pushed by players of that calibre it only brings the best from you."
He first injured his knee on February 6 last year, during the Waratahs first trial match against the Chiefs in New Zealand.
He completed the rest of the Super 12 season and forced his way on to the Australia A tour of Japan.
But the damage had been done to his cartilage and was not getting any better.
"In my mind it was a little knee injury, and I'm sure it was in the minds of others too," said West.
''I certainly didn't think it would be the end of my football career, which I hoped had another eight years or so."
West had an arthroscopic operation in June and then an other in October.
"I got back to where I was able to run again. But then I would only get up to 500m before the knee would swell up again," explained West.
After Christmas it was obvious something was not right.
"We discussed the reality of the situation," said West.
The reality was that his playing days were over.
"It came down to the fact that I can't even run, let alone play rugby," said West.
"But it (retirement) was not just my decision. It was very much the last option for me and the team management."
After the last New South Wales training session of the year West told the rest of the squad his sad news.
"It was a very tough time. I had asked to tell the team myself, rather than them hear about it elsewhere. Then before the team meeting Ewen said there was time for me to speak," said West.