Jamie Shaul has no regrets after quitting sport to become bricklayer again
Grafting in freezing weather on a building site, you’d imagine Hull legend Jamie Shaul might wish he’d hung around in Super League instead.
But the former England international, who retired aged 31 in September, couldn’t be happier. Full-back Shaul earned hero status scoring the match-winning try in Hull’s first-ever Wembley victory in 2016, one of 200 games for his hometown club.
But even though he lost his regular starting spot in recent years, it surprised many that the lightning quick No1 then quit the sport altogether. However, Shaul, back working as a brickie like before his memorable two-try Black and Whites debut at Wakefield in 2013, is glad to now be out of the limelight.
He said: “I fell out of love with the game. I had a tough two or three years not playing and it takes its toll on you. Physically I’d be alright but it’s more the mental side even though I definitely feel I could have carried on playing. Training all week, then getting to the weekend and having to play in the reserves, it hurts your pride as well.
“But there’s a reason rugby lads call this career a rollercoaster because one week you’re buzzing and winning and the next minute you’ve played crap and are dwelling on it all. Now I’m retired, though, I only have fond memories. I only remember the good times.”
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Shaul, who remarkably played in the 2013 Challenge Cup final in only his sixth competitive match, could have easily carried on in Super League elsewhere.
But he explained: “I had my agent ringing me six months before my contract was due to end at Hull asking what I wanted to do. But I told him I didn’t want to hear of any offers. I didn’t want to know about them. I knew I wanted to retire and didn’t want to carry on for the wrong reasons. Like playing for money.”
And now Shaul, who has revealed he suffers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is back laying bricks. He said: “It’s something I enjoyed doing before I became pro. It’s not the most glamorous job but it’s built into me: I like the graft.
“I suffer from ADHD and it’s good for that: constantly on the move and constantly doing things. I couldn’t think of anything worse than being sat in an office. As daft as it sounds - and people might not believe me when I say it - I do enjoy doing it. It’s a good craic on site with the lads.
Shaul, who has revealed he suffers with ADHD, is back laying bricks“I’ve come into it in the winter and it’s not easy but you crack on and it’s better than slogging it out in pre-season. That’s what I think, anyway. I see all the (Hull FC) lads put posts on Instagram and I can definitely say I’m not missing it. It might be different when the big games come up, like the derby in the first round of Super League next season. I might wish I was out there. But I genuinely don’t miss it at the moment.”
Shaul, who also won the Challenge Cup in 2017 and earned his solitary England cap against France a year later, also explained his ADHD diagnosis. “I discovered it late on, a couple of years ago,” he said.
“When I did it answered a lot of questions I’ve had throughout my playing career. I suffered with my mental health as well and it all goes into one but I’m on the meds now and probably the best I’ve ever been mentally.
“Playing rugby, you do get a lot of free time and that’s when I struggled - coming home and you’re on your own. But now I’m at work all day, constantly on the move and that helps me and then I come home and the kids are running riot and there’s other stuff to do. The routine does help.”
And has he had many Hull KR fans to contend with when on site with his mortar trowel? Shaul conceded: “You always get the Rovers fan! I enjoy that as well - not being noticed as much. It’s great early on in your career and you lap it all up. But I got sick of people asking what’s going wrong or why are you not playing? All those questions I don’t have to answer anymore.
“I’m actually looking forward to taking the kids to the games next season, sitting there with my partner and enjoying it as a fan.” Meanwhile, the ex-Dream Team rep’ is also playing part-time for Hull RU after an unexpected cross-code move.
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Shaul admitted: “It came quite late. I was happy to retire completely but I met them, they made me feel really welcome and really wanted which I’d not felt for a while.
“If it’d had been a rugby league team I definitely wouldn't have done it. But coming late into this game, learning the rules and getting out of my comfort zone, I took it as a challenge and the chance to enjoy sport again which I am doing again at the moment.
“It’s a blessing in disguise as it keeps me in a team environment and not just dropping straight out of rugby and back onto the building site. It kind of eased it.”
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