Will Addison reflects on his injury absence and future ambitions with Ulster

Will Addison scored a try against Bath at Kingspan Stadium to help Ulster into the European Champions Cup quarter-finals on January 18, 2020.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

It would be another 15 months before the Ireland full back could appear on a rugby pitch again after suffering a serious back injury that required surgery.

Appearances off the bench against Connacht and Leicester seem to suggest the surgery was a success and Addison is in line for a start against Munster at Thomond Park tomorrow night after many dark days and soul searching trying to get back to full fitness.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Whenever it’s an injury to your back it’s really serious and I’ve had a couple now, so there is a point when you start to weigh up whether this brilliant job that you have as a professional rugby player is worth what could be beyond rugby,” said Addison. “Those thoughts definitely go through your head, the support that I had from the surgeon first of all, from the physio staff here and the confidence I had in myself that I would get things right.”

Ulster's Will Addison. Pic by Getty.Ulster's Will Addison. Pic by Getty.
Ulster's Will Addison. Pic by Getty.

“Once the operation was done it gave me a clear line to where I could get back.

“Before that, when you’re dealing with a chronic injury, it can be quite hard to see an end in sight.

“The surgery, that gave me a real clear focus that I would get back but definitely it’s been the most up and down injury that I’ve ever experienced, the fear of that finality of your career definitely crossed my mind a few times.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The most difficult part about trying to accept that it might be the end is that feeling that you’ve way more in the tank, that’s the mental challenge of it.

“Since that surgery, we had a clear sight, pre-surgery was the toing and froing of will I get back and play or not.

“The surgery gave me the focus that with the work and with the rehab, that I would get back fit in X amount of months and then put your best foot forward.

“Lockdown was a small experience of what semi-retirement might be like and it actually wasn’t as daunting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I got a chance to do some work on the farm back home, I put some work into figuring out what I might want to do if it was the end.

“But, fortunately, the surgery has given...I wouldn’t say a new lease of life but the option to keep doing what I love doing and what I’m passionate about.

“I’m grateful to the surgeons, the guys around Ulster, the guys down the road, it’s given me an extension to my career.

“Hopefully, when I come to finish in however many years’ time now I’ll look back on these last 12 months as really useful in helping me prepare for it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’ve had to face those fears already in a certain sort of way...but the surgery and the work over the past six months have given me the opportunity to go on and finish my career the way I want.”

Addison worked closely with Ulster skills coach Dan Soper during his rehab.

“He’s such a brilliant bloke to rely on, he’s a steady fella and he’s really forward thinking,” he said. “Everyone in here has a growth mindset, everyone wants to get better every day and as a rehabber, that can feel tough when your body isn’t allowing it.

“Sops is invaluable, taking away the monotony of the rehab and giving us things to improve on, skills to take the mind off the rehab or even just to put a smile on your face.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That’s a real key part of the rehab process, that’s the stuff that he does as well as adding value on the pitch.”

--

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.