Ellis close to ending his long injury nightmare
WALES star Ellis Jenkins is set to return from a 19-month injury nightmare when the Cardiff Blues squad reassembles on July 1 for their two rounds of Guinness PRO14 derbies later this summer.
The 27-year-old hasn’t played since suffering a horrific knee injury near the end of a barnstorming display against South Africa in the 2018 autumn internationals.
He was sidelined for the 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam campaign and the Rugby World Cup last autumn after two knee operations.
But having worked with world renowned sports reconditioning trainer Bill Knowles in Philadelphia earlier this year, Blues head coach John Mulvihill has given an upbeat medical bulletin over a comeback date for his key flanker.
Mulvihill told The Rugby
Paper: “Structurally, Ellis has had the word his knee is fine.
“He just needs to get back to training with the group before he starts playing again.
“He’s important to us. He’s still the captain of our group and we’ve spoken a number of times about that going forward.
“I believe, and he believes, he’s still the best man for the job.
“We’re still working on the fact he’ll be back with us sooner rather than later so he can resume his career.”
Tiger Woods, Jonny Wilkinson, Andy Murray and Frank Lampard are among the sports stars Knowles has helped overcome serious injury issues, and Mulvihill is hoping 11-times capped Jenkins can add to that list.
“Ellis was one of nine players on the long-term injury list by the time we finished the season,” he added.
“It’s probably been toughest on our long-term injury boys during lockdown because they haven’t had the one-on-one treatment they would usually get.”