Chase explains why he is stepping away from rugby league

Rangi Chase has explained of his reasons as to why he is stepping away from rugby league following his release from Leigh Centurions.

The former Castleford and Salford halfback has been battling depression in recent times following his split from his wife and children and his performances on the field have taken an effect. 

But following his release from the Centurions, and reuniting with his family, Chase admits he is happy and is taking an extended leave from the sport to enjoy life.

“This is the happiest I’ve been in my life,” Chase told The Daily Mirror. 

“Rugby-wise it hasn’t gone well for me the last few years. It’s not because of the game of where I’ve been at, it’s just the situation I’ve been in as an individual.

“Me and my wife have just got back together recently – for a year there we were finished.

“I was depressed a lot. I thought it would be a fresh start at Leigh and I could give it my all, which I tried – but it wasn’t enough.

“I wasn’t seeing my kids as much and I’d beat myself up over that. It’s taken me a while to get over that, and rugby sort of got in the way.

“Growing up, rugby league gave me a lot of things that I never expected – it gave me hope and I didn’t have a lot of that as a kid. It used to make me feel ‘wow’ and give me all these opportunities. But then all that wore off and I didn’t appreciate the more important things like my family.”

As for the future of Rangi Chase as a rugby league player, the ex-England international admits he does not know what the next few years may have in store for himself.

“I’ll never say I’m stepping away for good – it might do me some good to get myself recharged mentally and physically,” he said.

“Now I want to enjoy the little things in life. I used to think I was living life when I was out in a bar at four in the morning.

“Now it’s about seeing my kids smiling and happy – things I overlooked when I was too caught up in rugby league.”