Bristol’s Sam Jeffries: ‘I had rugby taken away so to return is a privilege’

A knee injury stopped Sam Jeffries playing for two years but he made his way back for Bristol and then into the England squad

It was not until Sam Jeffries had returned home from England’s triumphant tour of Australia in July that he allowed himself a moment to reflect on his journey towards international recognition. On his two-year “retirement”, on all those nights in the gym or in rehab, gradually finding a way to restart a career without the chronic knee pain that had ended it abruptly aged 26 in 2019.

Jeffries’ story is one of perseverance, dedication and no little faith from Bristol, something he is acutely aware of as he discusses his road to recovery – a feelgood tale within a domestic rugby scene that could currently do with one. He is generous with his time – it is not until after the interview he reveals he needs to go and have stitches for a cut on his chin – and at the Bristol Bears’ high‑performance centre, employees are united in their praise for Jeffries’ character.

They know him well because when he had to admit that his patella tendonitis was too much to bear, Pat Lam, the director of rugby, appointed him as Bristol’s professional development manager, such was the esteem in which he was held. It was a cathartic time because there he was, helping players transition to life after rugby, all the while living through the same experience. The hope that he would one day play again – however unlikely – never left him. But going from making his Premiership return last October to being whisked off to Australia to replace the injured Charlie Ewels was beyond anyone’s expectations.

“Knowing what I had experienced with that opportunity and thinking about how things had been 12 months ago to where they are now, I wouldn’t have guessed it would work out like that,” says Jeffries. “I was proud of how things had turned around, a lot of work has gone into it.”

Jeffries was a latecomer to professional rugby, having completed his studies at Bristol University, but after playing a starring role in the Bears’ promotion-winning 2017-18 season, he was destined for big things.

What should then have been a breakthrough year in the Premiership, however, was blighted by endless pain, with Jeffries managing only 27 minutes all season. “I was in constant pain,” the back-row adds. “It’s incredibly challenging as a player because we live in constant pain anyway because of the physical demands of our sport. There are times when you know you can push through it but I was at a stage where it was too much.

“At that point I knew that something needed to change and thankfully the club were on the same wavelength. It was the right decision at the right time. It turned out to be the best thing for me because I’ve come back fitter and stronger. In some ways I think I’m very fortunate to have what all professional rugby players dream of – two years off to sort all your niggles out.”

It becomes clear that such a positive outlook played a pivotal role in Jeffries’ recovery and what strikes most as he details his comeback is that he was not prepared to give up the athlete’s lifestyle. Retirement did not lead to R&R or indulgence. He repeatedly talks of “strategies” to ensure his knees could cope with the demands of being a modern rugby player with a pragmatism that belies the gruelling months of trial and error, fitted around his office job, until he was pain free.

“I always kept the goal to come back but I had been in pain for nearly 12 months, barely being able to run. I was thinking my rugby career was over at that point. So it was a really energising, fresh start to go into an administrative role here. With the shock of no longer being a player, it was good for me to have the experience so I could understand what other players go through themselves.

“The whole time through that process I was determined to at least sort out my rehab and my gym work, because if I was going to get back into rugby I wanted to give it a full crack. I worked pretty hard, while I was working during the day in the office, in the evenings I’d be doing my gym, my rehab and my running – they were long days but it paid off. Then through Covid we had a lot more time at home and it was a case of sticking to a daily regime – 30 minutes every night. Doing that consistently for a period of months fixed my problems.”

Jeffries’ research also led him to Juan Smith – the World Cup-winning Springboks flanker – who had endured similar problems with his achilles and took an extended break before coming back to excel with Toulon. Jeffries’ comeback was incremental, however, first training with 18-year-olds fresh out of school – the same youngsters he was educating about the importance of pursuits outside rugby – then an A-League game at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Slowly but surely, and when Covid protocols allowed, he made his way back into first-team training and earned a contract for the start of last season. There were setbacks along the way and Jeffries questioned himself when he ruptured a ligament in his foot. “I thought: ‘Here we go again, maybe rugby isn’t supposed to be for me.’” But after a couple of Championship appearances for Hartpury at the start of last season he proceeded to play 17 Premiership matches for Bristol.

“Everything post-injury was a bonus,” he says. “I thought my career was over so I came in with a positive mindset. I was still a little bit nervous because you still want to contribute, but I felt after a few games I had the confidence that I could.”

The pain still has to be managed - “When you have spikes in loading they tend to flare up and this summer, coming back into pre-season, on hard ground after a few weeks when your running demands go up” – but at 29 he believes his best years are still ahead of him. After a first taste of the England setup, initially for the Barbarians match in June and then the Australia tour, he is evidently hungry for more and it helps that Eddie Jones takes a shine to players who have demonstrated resilience.

Before that, however, is Saturday’s trip to Wasps as Bristol seek a second win of the season, and more importantly a determination to enjoy every moment along the way. “You can always live in the negatives of being a rugby player and all the things that bog you down,” says Jeffries. “But I had it taken away so I know what a privilege it is. To get 20-odd Premiership games [last season] and be where I am now, it’s gone better than I ever hoped it would.”

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