But isn't that because he is 33 and they play the World Cup at 4 year intervals? I don't follow rugby closely. But I imagine, based on equally demanding sports that 33 is probably past prime age and at 37 one would be considered old.

I just don't see this as a big deal.

If you compare it to the current Penn State scandal in US college football, or to deaths and injuries in other sports from auto racing, horse racing, boxing and football it seems very trivial.