For centre Van Breda, who is also a former Worcester player, the plan was to always stay in Jersey, just not give up professional rugby when he had to.
“Things happen for a reason, I’ve found a way to make it work for me,” he tells BBC Channel Islands.
“I’ve got my wife and my young boy here who love Jersey, so we want to stay here long term and this is our way to make it home, and I’ve been welcomed with open arms by the rugby club.
“So as tough as it was I had really good people around me to make it as easy as it could possibly be.”
Van Breda has found work in the island’s finance industry and now does the nine to five before going up to his old training ground to play alongside new team-mates who would often pay to watch him play.
“It’s funny, you’d think there’s this huge big difference,” he says.
“But because of the set-up here everyone’s just allowed to have fun, there’s no big meetings every Monday and no selection, it’s just boys going out and having fun.
“It feels like I’m back at school playing with mates that are just doing it for the love of the game, and I think that comes through with what we do on the pitch and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
