Nearly three years since retiring with ongoing concussion symptoms, one-Test All Black Ben Afeaki is still struggling.
Afeaki was forced out of rugby in 2015, with symptoms that first arose after a head clash with Chiefs team-mate Brodie Retallick the previous year.
When the former prop announced his retirement, he said the decision to retire came down to his long-term health and it seems he definitely made the right call.
"I still get a bit foggy," Afeaki told reporters. "I still have to manage my time at work, because if I overdo it, I battle for a couple of days.
"The normal symptoms, fatigue... I don't really get headaches, which is good, but I still get that fogginess and drowsiness.
"It's all about management for me. If I can manage it well, I can normally get through a lot of things.
"I just hadn't recovered enough. Obviously, I made the right decision [to retire], because three years down the track, I'm still having problems. "
On Friday, Afeaki was unveiled as the new Blues scrum coach, as the Auckland franchise begins preparations for the 2018 Super Rugby season.
The 29-year-old had been working with his former provincial side, North Harbour, for the past two years and admitted he was shocked to get a call from Tana Umaga, asking him to join the Blues.
"When Tana caught up, I was a bit shocked," he said. "I was pretty honest with him and said 'I don't know if I'm up for it'.
"I had a think about it and thought 'what a great opportunity'. It's awesome to be involved in a region that I grew up in.
"I never planned to be a coach or get on to this pathway. With Harbour, I just did it to help out.
"I guess I didn't back myself as much as I should have.
"Once I thought about it, I realised this is what I've done for the past 10 years of my life and that I've got as much experience as a lot of coaches."
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