Rugby star, 27, forced to retire after heartbreaking terminal diagnosis | Rugby | Sport

New Zealand rugby player Cameron Suafoa has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 27 after revealing he has received a terminal cancer diagnosis. The former Maori All Blacks forward, who represents the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific, was initially diagnosed with sarcoma in November 2023 and stepped back from rugby in April the following year while undergoing treatment.

He has had a rare cancerous tumour removed from his back, as well as three ribs removed and his spine shaved. While Suafoa was able to make his return to the field later in 2024 with North Harbour in the National Provincial Championship (NPC), he received a new diagnosis last year and has since been informed that his cancer has spread and is terminal.

Consequently, he has decided to hang up his boots, announcing his retirement in an emotional video interview shared by the Blues on social media.

“I just wanted to give you a little bit of an update on my situation,” he said. “I’ve decided to finish playing rugby officially.

“I was told the unfortunate news that my cancer has spread, and it was terminal now. Unfortunately, I won’t be playing, but I’ll be going through a different type of battle soon. I start having chemo in the coming days.”

Suafoa added: “This team definitely holds a special place in my heart. I was born and raised in Auckland, and was lucky enough to play for the Blues and be here for a few years.

“I’ve loved every minute of playing and just being in the environment, and everything about this union and this club.”

The devastating news follows the blindside flanker’s honest discussion with TFN last summer regarding the harsh reality of his cancer battle, having undergone major surgery on multiple occasions.

“Unfortunately, I’ve had to have two back operations,” he explained. “The first one late last year, November, I had a tumour removed from my lower back on my left side, just in my lat muscle, and I had a bit of my lat taken away, just for good measure.

“After that, I had to go through some radiation for about six weeks to really make sure that the sarcoma didn’t come back. Unfortunately, it did end up coming back.

“I had further operations just six weeks ago. I had three ribs removed, also my spine was shaved down, and I had to have a couple of steel rods and screws put in to stabilise my back and a bit of metalwear to replace where my ribs were, because this time the tumour was in between my ribs and growing.

“So I was on the operating table for about nine hours this time to really make sure that they had gotten everything.”