Jake Polledri: Gloucester flanker aims for more on return from long-term injury

Flanker Polledri was one of Gloucester's brightest prospects before his injury in autumn 2020

Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri has said he can perform "even better" than before after returning from almost two years out with a knee injury.

The 26-year-old last played in November 2020 when he was injured on international duty for Italy.

Polledri's prognosis was complicated by nerve damage which extended his time on the sidelines by almost 12 months.

He returned to full-time training in May and is available for selection ahead of the new Premiership campaign.

"When you have so much time off you can improve on so many different things you don't normally improve on," Polledri told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"I've had two years to better myself, as such. Whether that's mentally, physically, things off the game, watching, analysis, stuff like that. I've had a long time to be able to do that so hopefully [I can perform] even better."

Back-rower Polledri was hailed as a rising star of the sport when he broke through to the Gloucester team during the 2017-18 season.

He won the Premiership's Young Player of the Year award that campaign, with the Bristol-born forward also earning his first international cap during the Six Nations that spring.

Polledri has been capped 19 times by Italy and has scored four tries so far

Polledri has since played 46 times for the Cherry and Whites and said the initial knee injury has long since healed.

"My knee injury itself without the nerve damage is like a 12-month injury, so given that it's been nearly two years my knee itself is absolutely fine," Polledri said.

"The difficulty we had with my knee injury was that nerve damage is not a common thing, which is unlucky for me. That's something we had to delve a bit deeper into and we had to find the right specialists and we got there in the end.

"It took us a year to work out if the nerve was ever going to recover. It was an initial year patch where I was unsure what was going on, then after that year period we worked out that the nerve was going to recover, which was obviously amazing."

During his time out Polledri suffered drop foot because of the nerve damage, which made it difficult for him to walk or move his toes. That has also now healed.

"In terms of day-to-day life, anything from walking around normally around the house, driving, I don't even notice it anymore which is just amazing," he added.

"It's just weird because when you're stuck in this long injury period, especially with nerve damage, you get used to not being normal and limping around and having drop foot, but coming from that space and coming into this back-to-normal space is really cool."

Polledri was voted Gloucester's player of the year at the end of the 2019-2020 season

Gloucester have evolved significantly as a team during Polledri's time away. Last year they were in contention for a top-four finish until the final round of fixtures and their forward pack was one of the most dominant in the league.

Polledri, who signed a new contract with the club in July, is excited to be a part of developing that style of play further.

"To see that evolve has been amazing and I can't wait to be a part of that because it is a very forward dominant side at the moment and the focus is very much on mauls and scrums and set-pieces," he said.

"To be involved in that sort of set-up again would be amazing."

'I want to make him proud'

Polledri suffered tragedy in February this year when his younger brother, Sam, passed away from a heart attack in Bristol city centre.

The 24-year-old also played rugby and Polledri said he felt extra responsibility now to live dreams for the both of them.

"It hits home that it can happen to anyone," he said.

"It's difficult because it happened so suddenly, but the perspective is that it's been a rubbish two years with the injury and then given that as well. I just can't wait to get back out there, things back to normal and Sam would be very proud for me to get out there.

"He saw me a year and a half with an injury, he was just gunning for me to be back as well so I can't wait to make him proud."

The loss has also given Polledri a different perspective on his own career and life.

"For me, the main thing I took from it - which I have been throughout the injury as well - is being quite positive. There's no point sitting around or dwelling on it because you never know what's around the corner. You've just got to be positive and upbeat about things, like Sam was," he continued.

Polledri's mother, Louise, has since become a campaigner on the need for defibrillators to be sited in public places.

The family have already seen a defibrillator installed in Millennium Square, Bristol, where Sam died, while a second is planned for Clifton Downs in the city - an area used regularly for sport.

"When he passed away there was essentially no defibs available for the public and there were six or seven that were privately available but at the time weren't accessible," Polledri said.

"We as a family are trying to create these public defibs so they're available for people. We've had one installed in Millennium Square - it's already been used three times.

"It's the case that these things are needed and you don't know you need them until it's too late. It's just about spreading the word about it and trying to get it out there.

"Hopefully, if we can save just as many as one person, then it's job done, but hopefully save a few more as well."