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'Big leg day' video shows free agent Jack McGrath is fighting back
By Liam Heagney
Ex-Ireland loosehead Jack McGrath - who featured in all three 2017 Lions Test matches versus the All Blacks - has been charting his return to fitness as a free agent on Instagram. It was May 26 when a statement from Ulster confirmed that the soon-to-be 33-year-old with 56 Ireland caps was being released after three seasons at the club he joined from Leinster.
“Since joining Ulster in summer 2019, prop Jack McGrath has made his presence felt within the province both on and off the pitch,” read the farewell statement at the time. “With 140 appearances for Leinster under his belt when he arrived in Belfast, the Dubliner went on to play for Ulster on 24 occasions, with injury curtailing how many times he has pulled on the white jersey recently.
“McGrath, who is about to undergo further medical treatment, will continue his rehab and journey back to full fitness as a professional player in the months ahead.”
That journey back to full fitness is something that McGrath is now sharing on his social media, uploading a series of videos showing him hard at work in the gym to get fully back up to speed following his injury-hit stint at Ulster.
It was ten weeks ago when he posted the first post-Ulster exit update that showed him cycling on a Watt bike and commenting: “In my (un)happy place, sweat session done. Small steps in part of the journey back.”
View this post on Instagram
Five more return to fitness videos have since been posted, the latest explaining: “Big leg day today with Conor Corcoran. Massive thanks to the lads at Apollo Fitness. Progressing to the next level with the new sled. I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
It was March this year when McGrath played his last match, starting for Ulster against Cardiff in the URC and playing the first half at Kingspan Stadium before being replaced. His social media bio states that he is a free agent who is rehabbing back to fitness after a double hip resurfacing operation.”
It hasn’t been all work for McGrath, however, as he was recently in France for the wedding of Peter O’Mahony, the 2017 Lions first Test skipper. “What a great week celebrating… Great memories made with some great people,” he commented.
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Latest Comments
I agree.
I’d like to know what constitutes a 208 week ban though?
Must the eyeball be dislodged? Hanging by a vein?
Go to commentsAlso a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.
I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.
I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn when to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.
Defense has been a real positive from Bristol, they've shown a lot of improvement there... And I will say that I think this kamikaze strategy they employ is a very good one for a struggling side and could be employed by Newcastle. It's seems to have turned around Gloucester's fortunes. The big advantage is even if you don't have the biggest and best players, what you have is cohesion. This is why Scotland keep battering England. England have better individuals but they look muddled as a team, trying to play a mixed strategy under coaches who lack charisma, the team has no identity. Scotland come out and give it full throttle from 1-15 even if they struggle against the top sides, sides like England and Wales who lack that identity drown under the relentless will and synergy of the Scots. If Newcastle did the same they could really surprise some people, I know the weather is bad up there but it hasn't bothered the Scots. Bristol can learn from Scotland too, Pat is on to something when he says the following but Scotland don't play test matches like headless chickens. They still play with the same level of clarity and ambition Bristol do but they are much better at picking their moments. They needed to go back to this mad game to get their cohesion back after a couple of seasons struggling but I hope they get a bit wiser from matches like Leinster and La Rochelle.
“If there’s clarity on what you’re trying to do as a team you can win anything.”
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