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Jack Mann considered walking away from rugby after 720 day lay-off
By Simon Thomas
For Jack Mann, the wait for an elusive first Scotland cap continues. But, after everything he has been through, he’s just relishing being out on the field.
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The 25-year-old Glasgow Warriors No.8 received his first call-up to the Scottish squad for the Six Nations campaign.
However, he wasn’t to be involved in any of the matches, leaving him still waiting for that prized Test debut.
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Now his attention switches back to BKT URC action with the league champions hosting Munster Rugby on Friday night.
Mann is grateful for every game that comes his way these days having spent two years out of the sport.]
After switching from Edinburgh Rugby, he made an eye-catching Glasgow debut in a Challenge Cup victory away to Bath in December 2022.
But he was then consigned to a 12-month lay-off through concussion and, as soon as he was ready to return, he suffered a broken ankle.
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“The concussion was more precautionary and sort of to do with the protocols,” he explains. “I’d had three within a year, so I had a three-month stand down, but if I got another one then it would have been six months. So they stood me down for a year, just to let my head reset, I guess you would say.
“But then I came back from that and, two weeks later, I broke my ankle.
“It was tough. There were definitely some dark times along the way.
“There was a lot of stress. Being out for so long, you start to have those thoughts about will I, won’t I be able to get back to the standard I was at before and then having to try and exceed that standard – never mind having thoughts about if I actually want to keep playing rugby and stuff like that.
“It felt like I almost put more pressure on myself.
“I was very lucky that I had a great support network around me. We have got a good group of boys at Glasgow and I am very close to my family. So they helped me through that time.”
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Mann – who hails from farming stock in Midlothian and began his rugby journey with Lasswade RFC – finally returned to action in the BKT URC clash with the Scarlets at Scotstoun in November. It was just his second appearance for Glasgow, 720 days after his first.
“It was a pretty enormous relief to come back,” he admits. “I feel like my career has been delayed due to injuries. So I do feel I’ve got a little bit of catching up to do in that regard. But I am only 25, so I still have plenty of time.
“I am just relishing being back after having two years out.
“Every opportunity I get to go out on the pitch feels really important to me and I am enjoying my rugby.”
Having resumed playing in the autumn, Mann rapidly made a big impression with his ball carrying and athleticism, leading to that Scotland Six Nations call-up.
“I was obviously buzzing to be named in the squad,” he says. “I was pretty fortunate that I knew a lot of the boys from my time at Edinburgh and now Glasgow. It made it very easy going into camp.
“Look, everyone wants to play for their country, but it’s a tough back row to break into.
“I just really enjoyed being in camp and getting my head around everything. It was an awesome experience.”
During the Six Nations, the 6ft 5ins, 18st 2lbs Mann was released from the Scotland squad to figure in a couple of BKT URC games for Glasgow.
He was named Player of the Match after a barnstorming try-scoring display in the victory over Dragons RFC at Rodney Parade, but then picked up a concussion in the home defeat to the Ospreys in Round 12.
That ruled him out of contention for Scotland’s fourth Championship match versus Wales, but he returned to the camp to assist in preparations for the tournament finale against France in Paris.
Now it’s back to BKT URC business and the top-five clash with Munster at Scotstoun this weekend.
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