Former Wales rugby captain Ryan Jones has revealed he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in 2022 and may also have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease often linked to repeated head injuries. Jones, who played 75 matches for Wales and was part of three grand slam-winning Six Nations campaigns, said he struggles to remember parts of his playing career. He retired from rugby in 2015 and later battled depression, with some days being a challenge to get out of bed. Jones says his mental health struggles began to worsen during the pandemic, after he listened to an interview with fellow former Welsh international Alix Popham, which prompted him to seek medical help. Jones is now part of a group of former rugby players suing World Rugby, the England Rugby Football Union (RFU), and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) at the High Court. The lawsuit seeks to hold these organizations accountable for not adequately addressing the long-term health risks associated with rugby, particularly head injuries. In a BBC documentary titled Ryan Jones: Unbreakable, he discussed his fears about being a burden to his six children and step-children, as well as his uncertainty about whether his rugby career was worth the cost to his health. The documentary also revealed that Jones sometimes pretended to remember details of games he couldn’t recall, telling generic stories or making up details to avoid awkwardness. This behavior, he explained, was a way to cope with the frustration and confusion caused by his memory loss. Jones described the emotional toll of realizing he was losing parts of his identity and the challenges of living with a condition that affects both memory and mental well-being. Despite his struggles, Jones remains determined to raise awareness about the risks faced by rugby players and to support others going through similar experiences. His story highlights the growing concern among former athletes about the long-term effects of contact sports and the need for better protections and support systems in place for players.