Jamie Roberts flies in to start new life as he immediately gets to work
The former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre says he is 'excited by the new challenge'
Roberts has started his new career as a doctor
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Wales rugby legend Jamie Roberts is starting his new life as a doctor today, just 48 hours after returning home from the British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia.
The 94-cap international, who was working as a pundit and a Lions ambassador Down Under this summer, is a qualified doctor having graduated from Cardiff University's school of medicine 12 years ago - just a few weeks after he played on the 2013 tour of Australia. Now, he is starting "a new chapter" practising as a junior doctor in Llandough Hospital in the capital.
Roberts, who was nicknamed 'Doc' throughout his playing career, played at the very top of the game, winning three Six Nations titles with Wales and playing pivotal roles on two Lions tours. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
But while he has kept busy in retirement - taking up a position as an independent Non-Executive Director on the WRU Board - he admitted in an interview with WalesOnline earlier this year that he still "craves pressure, responsibility and accountability".
Now, after years of hard work, the former centre has started his new career, having taken to social media on Tuesday to confirm his career announcement.
"Tomorrow. A new chapter," he wrote. "Funny sometimes how life aligns. I graduated in medicine a few weeks after our victorious Lions tour Down Under in 2013. I now find myself beginning life as a doctor 12 years on and a few days after the 2025 corresponding tour.
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"I never worked as a doctor as I fortunately enjoyed another nine years playing rugby across the world. Add in three kids in four years among other things and it's been a busy period post-retirement!
"I'm excited by the new challenge and the pressure that accompanies such a position of responsibility and trust. Looking forward to meeting and working alongside some great people and great minds."
In an interview with Sky Sports, Roberts, who represented the likes of Cardiff, Racing 92, Harlequins and Bath during his career, opened up on what proved to be a whirlwind week, with his first shift coming just a few days after flying back from Australia.
"My first shift is next week," he said. "I sat an exam in November to come back in so I'm now close to starting my next life. I fly back from Australia on Sunday, land on Monday, and my first shift is Wednesday in hospital as a doctor.
"I'm a week away from the next career, which I'm going to do 80 per cent of the time. My two-year training programme will take me two years and five months, which still allows me to keep a hand in with rugby, broadcasting and my work on the WRU board, among raising three young kids. So it's all happening. Life is busy, but life is great.""
The Welshman announced his career move earlier this year, opening up to WalesOnline on what he missed about playing rugby and why a return o medicine was the right move for him to take now.
"It has taken me a while to work out exactly what I miss from the game, and that's it. I miss the pressure and doing something that brings with it pressure and scrutiny," said Roberts.
"Of course I miss the lads, I miss the changing room and I miss the social side of rugby probably above all else.
"I love problem-solving, I love working with people and I guess when you go through that soul-searching when you retire, you try to narrow down what you really love and what you really want to go after.
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"Medicine and being a doctor ticks a lot of boxes," he added. "It's problem-solving, it's in science, it's working with people, it brings significant pressure and responsibility. I can't wait to join another great team in the NHS."
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