James Broadhurst made his test debut for the All Blacks in their 2015 Rugby Championship test against South Africa in Johannesburg.

One-test All Black James Broadhurst is hanging up his boots after struggling to recover from a concussion suffered in 2015.

The 29-year-old lock has continued to suffer from headaches with medical specialists advising him to keep his heart rate below 120-beats-per-minute to avoid them. This made exercising - let-alone playing rugby - practically impossible.

Broadhurst enjoyed a breakout season for the Hurricanes in 2015, winning a spot in the All Blacks to make his test debut against the Springboks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. New Zealand were 27-20 winners that day.

Maarten Holl/ Fairfax NZ Lock James Broadhurst enjoyed a breakout year in New Zealand rugby in 2015 as a key figure in the Hurricanes' Super Rugby campaign.

Later that year he suffered a head knock in a Mitre 10 Cup match while playing for Taranaki against Wellington. He has not played rugby since.

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Broadhurst said it had been difficult to be advised by medical experts to walk away from the game he loved, but ultimately it was the right advice.

"I've been away from the game for a little over 18 months and still experience symptoms which affect my daily life," he said.

"Some extensive efforts have gone into getting me back to sport by medical professionals in and out of rugby. Even though it hasn't resulted in the outcome I had hoped for, I owe each and every one of them a huge debt, as my health has improved massively and this will undoubtedly give me quality of life in the future."

In announcing his retirement, Broadhurst publicly acknowledged the assistance and support he'd received from his partner Brooke, friends, family, and the rugby community including Taranaki, the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby.

"The support I've received from players and management has been overwhelming. I'd like to thank every player and coach I've been involved with over the years who have assisted me on my rugby path, and everyone who will assist me during my transition to the next stage of life.

"They say for a door to open, others must close, so I look forward to the next chapter in anticipation, rather than looking back at the rugby chapter with sadness."

Broadhurst's retirement comes at a time when rugby is making increased efforts to come to grips with concussion, involving extensive studies and preventative measures.

Fellow All Black Ben Afeaki also stepped away from the game in 2015 after a long battle with concussion.

Other players to have retired prematurely from ongoing concussion issues include former All Blacks halfback Steve Devine, former Blues flanker Sean Polwart and former Highlanders and Hurricanes flanker Ben Herring.

All Blacks captains Richie McCaw and Kieran Read have had issues and All Blacks midfielder Charlie Ngatai has just returned to action after almost a year away from the game.

New Zealand Rugby's general manager Neil Sorensen said Broadhurst had been the model player in rehabilitation and encouraged others to make good decisions around their welfare.

"We're incredibly grateful to James for his perseverance and he will continue to be supported by the Hurricanes and NZR medical staff as he moves into the next phase of his life," Sorenson said.

"James has put his health first and that is the right call. He is well regarded on and off the field, and we will support him as he makes this career transition."

Broadhurst played 71 matches for the Hurricanes, 20 for Canterbury, and 55 for Taranaki, including starting in every match during their run to the Mitre 10 Cup national Premiership title in 2014.

In 2015, he was a finalist for Super Rugby player of the year at the New Zealand Rugby Awards after playing a crucial role in the Hurricanes' run to the final.

"James is a good man who played some exceptional rugby for the Hurricanes, particularly in 2015. The timing of his injury was unfortunate because he was starting to really realise his full potential," Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said.

"It can't have been easy for him to be told to walk away from the game and everyone at the club wishes him all the best for whatever lies ahead."

Taranaki coach Colin Cooper said Broadhurst had made a big impact during six campaigns with the Mitre 10 Cup squad since 2010.

"James has been a huge asset to the Taranaki team both on and off the field as a player and leader, including helping his team win the Ranfurly Shield in 2011 and the Premiership in 2014.

"He has strong values, a massive work ethic and is a great team man. It has been a real pleasure to coach James and to share some great memories with him. We are enormously grateful for his contribution to Taranaki Rugby over many years and wish him and Brooke the very best as they embark on this next chapter together."

Pioneering research into the health of retired rugby players conducted in New Zealand is now being taken to the global arena.

The Rugby Health Project, led by AUT University's Professor Patria Hume, which discovered higher rates of cognitive impairment in retired rugby players who suffered concussion during their careers, will be extended to the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

New Zealand Rugby Players' Association boss Rob Nichol said there was a much greater awareness around concussion now, than before international efforts to address the problem started about eight years ago.

"More hands are going up earlier and we are able to deal with it a lot better," he said.

In the past players had hidden concussions to prevent being stood down. Now there was support for them, and they were given time to work through their issues.