Ireland's wing three-quarter Andrew Trimble spoke as his side prepared to host France in their third match during the rugby union Six Nations on Saturday.
Ahead of the game in Dublin, the 29 year old said: "I love the game. It's a driving force and a massive part of what I want to do. But it's important to be reminded that there's something else out there, there's something more important than rugby."
Match day. #IREvFRA @SixNationsRugby let's make @AVIVAStadium rock this evening. #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/VqgAavzOg0
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 25, 2017
Trimble, who goes into Saturday's match at the Aviva Stadium as a replacement, needed two operations on the same foot and suffered a stress fracture 16 months ago, putting his sporting career in doubt.
He went on to say: "If it's over, you have to draw on something else so rugby doesn't become the be-all-and-end-all. It doesn't define me, I'm defined by something more important. It's a different mindset and perspective."
"There's an eternal perspective. Rugby lasts for ten, 15 years but the perspective of having a faith, and a sincere faith, is something that doesn't end and something that lasts forever."
"I'm far happier having that perspective and knowing that there is a bigger picture than putting all my trust in rugby, in a career that can be over in 10 years or a lot less than 10 years."
The other Six Nations matches taking place on Saturday see Scotland welcome Wales to Murrayfield, while Italy face top-of-the-table England at Twickenham.