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eighteen76 Issue 7, December 1999

Kyran Bracken, Saracens' formidable scrum half, has been plagued recently by a spate of injuries. Injuries that have seen him missing large chunks of last season for Saracens and the chance to play in the 1999 World Cup for England.

Kyran hasn't played a minute of rugby since the injury that haunted him last season, finally got the better of him in July whilst on tour with England in Australia. After months of speculation about his injury status we caught up with Kyran at the training ground to find out why, for the first time in 6 months, he has got a great big smile on his face.

Kyran started by telling us about his injury . . . "I initially injured my back lifting weights whilst training with England late last year in preparation for the pre-Christmas internationals." Explained Kyran, "The injury was quite similar to the one that Hilly (Richard Hill) had in 1997, but it was obviously much more painful than his (he said with a wry smile). I missed both games, which was disappointing, as well as five weeks for Saracens returning to play in the Premiership just after Christmas."

"The injury flared up again whilst on tour with England in Australia in the summer. We were staying at Couran Cove in a pre-World Cup training camp. We had two fixtures to play, Queensland and then a test against Australia."

"I took part in both games but I was already beginning to feel the pain return and had to leave the field during the second match. I couldn't train for the rest of the tour and hoped that a twelve day holiday and rest on the way home might do me good."

"When I got back to England there wasn't much change and I started assessing my options. I merely spectated for most of the England squad's time with the Marines in Plymouth and despite a lot of effort to get me involved I was just in too much pain and wasn't able to make a full range of movement."

Kyran and the World Cup . . . "I hadn't really started thinking about the fact that I coul;d miss out on the World Cup, at this point I thought that I was going to be ready in time, I still had a couple of months."

"The World Cup is something that every player aspires to, whatever country they qualify for, it's a real bench mark to meet. For me, all I had to do was get fit. As the weeks went by I hadn't noticed any change. I was resting as instructed and avoiding and movements that might inflame the problem. The pain was not subsidising, in fact it seemed to be getting worse."

"With six weeks to go before the start of the tournament I was suddenly confronted with the thought that I actually might not make it. Clive Woodward offered me the chance to return to Saracens in a last ditch bid to get me fit in time. He gave me a deadline of two weeks before the first game and I was temporarily released from the squad."

"Nigel Roe, Saracens' Physio, was about to go on World Cup duty with Fiji so I was lucky to catch him. Between him, Ron Zombada and Chris Gordon, both members of the Saracens Medical Team, they analysed my injury after a series of tests. My best option for recovery was an operation, the only downside was that it would mean no World Cup for me, something that I didn't want. The second option was to try some unconventional methods coupled with strengthening techniques. There could be no guarantee of success but it was my only chance of playing in the World Cup so I decided to take it. At this point I still held out hope but a nagging feeling was beginning to settle in that I was going to run out of time."

Getting that sinking feeling . . . "With only a couple of weeks left, and the team already playing the warm up games, I started to realise that I wasn't going to be ready, although I wasn't going to give up. I started to grasp at straws, I had nothing to lose so I was willing to try any method that might offer me hope. I tried some of them and as my final week approached I had a couple of epidurals to try and neutralise the pain."

"With only days to the deadline I had played all of my cards and lost . . . I had to concede and I was officially out of the squad. I suppose I had known in the back of my mind for the final month that I wouldn't make it, but it didn't make it any easier to cope with."

Just a spectator . . . "I've got to say that it was very frustrating being a spectator during the World Cup. I kept myself busy writing a few media columns, but for most of it I was laid up at home. I'd like to think that I could have made a difference but I guess I'll never know. I think that we lost our chance of lifting the cup when we lost to New Zealand in the pool. We just left ourselves too much to do."

"I received a lot of support from friends and family as well as from Saracens and their supporters and it did lift my spirits. The next thing I had to face up to was when could I start playing for Saracens. I had felt in a bit of a no man's land for the past few weeks. With both Saracens and England I had just been visiting treatment rooms and not getting involved in any team meetings. A number of appointments were set up with specialists to determine my next course of action. I had another injection, which left me bed ridden for a week, to see if it would break up the problem but after a further examination it was becoming clear that an operation was going to be my only salvation. On Monday 22nd November, my brithday, I had the operation (some present!) and after a week of rest I was already feeling improvement. After a post op examination I was given my first rehab schedule with a recovery deadline for over six months. You can't imagine what a relief that was, to finally know that I was on the mend and that I could be back playing as early as February."

Back with the men in black . . . "After the disappointment of the World Cup, I now had to take a back seat at Saracens. While my team mates, both old and new, were getting to know each other and going through the training sessions and drills, I felt left out. I hadn't sat in on a team meeting since June and it was very strange not to be involved. Still, in the last month I have been at the club almost every day for treatment and, especially since the operation, I have got a spring in my stepm literally. I don't think the boys have dared give me any stick until recently since I have been walking round with a big scowl, but now things are looking up they're back on form."

"I have been to every Saracens home game this season and after the initial shaky start, I think the team have performed very well. Obviously with the World Cup players coming back, this has meant that they are not going to be up to speed, as far as moves and game plans are concerned, but there is a lot of talent there. One benefit I have found with being injured is that I have been able to sit back and enjoy the Saracens Matchday Experience, it's great, I don't think I've ever seen so many happy faces. But don't worry, as good as it is, I'd rather be on the pitch!"

"I haven't ventured into block O in the Lower Rous Stand yet, I don't think I'm quite ready for the Fez Boys just yet, but as soon as I am I will come and visit."

What Kyran's hoping for Christmas? "So, touch wood, by the time I'm twenty eight and three months I could be making my first appearance for Saracens this season . . . I can't wait, that's all that I want for Christmas."

Kyran's medical assessment Nigel Roe, Saracens' Physio "Kyran sustained a central disc bulge in one of his low back intervertebral discs, which was putting pressure on the dura, or covering the spinal cord. It's far more common for the disc to bulge to one side and cause the classic "sciatica" pain down one leg, but Kyran's pain didn't fit this pattern. The usual x-rays and scans failed to diagnose the problem, and it wasn't until he was operated on that the unusual bulge was confirmed.

"The operation in November seems to have been successful and for the first time in months Kyran's pain is subsiding. If Kyran's rehab goes to plan he should begin jogging just before Christmas, moving on to light training in the New Year. We will be constantly assessing Kyran's progress and once we are happy with his status we will clear him for full training which could be as early as February. After that it is just a question of how quickly Kyran can get up to match fitness . . ."