‘Mum burst into tears’ - Six Nations call meant everything to Scotland star who found solace in golf
There were times during his two years out of the game that Jack Mann wondered if he would ever get back to playing again at a professional level.
The Glasgow Warriors forward admits to “dark moments” as he dealt with being stood down for a year due to concussions then having his comeback thwarted by a broken leg.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut Glasgow stuck by him. Mann, 25, was reintroduced into the first team this season and performed at such a high level in half-a-dozen games that he was named in Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad for the Six Nations.


Such have been the highs and lows, it’s no wonder his mother Lynn got quite emotional when she heard the news.
“I was actually out for dinner with my mum,” said Mann. “I wasn't expecting a call and I actually missed Gregor's call initially.
“He left a message saying: ‘Give me a call when you get a chance’. So I called him back outside the restaurant, went back in, told mum, and she burst into tears. That was a nice moment. Then we called my dad and my sister from the restaurant.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe venue was Crabshakk Botanics in Glasgow’s west end, not too far from Scotstoun where much of his rehab and recovery took place. It has been a long road back, although quite a lot of it was spent on the golf course, it seems.
“I'm very fortunate in that, at Glasgow, we have a very good group of friends, like the young boys, and a lot of us came through the under-20s together,” he said.
“To be honest, I played a lot of golf in those two years out. I wanted to try and get 1.5 off my handicap and bring it down. I never quite managed to get to single figures, but I got it down to 13.


“During those two years, even though I was having some pretty dark moments, having such good boys to be around made it a genuine joy to go into training every day.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“But there were definitely some times where I was really thinking: ‘Will I be able to get back to playing at a certain level and then exceed that level as well?’ It's nice to be able to look back on that and think that it was all worth it.”
Mann’s route into the Scotland squad has been long and winding. He was in the academy at Edinburgh but was released and went to work on the family farm in Carrington, Midlothian, while playing for Heriot's. His performances in the Super 6 earned him the chance to train with Glasgow and he made his pro debut for the Warriors in the win over Bath in the European Challenge Cup at the Rec on December 10, 2022. It was a significant victory, both for club and player. For Glasgow, it was an early sign that something special was happening under Franco Smith. For Mann, it was a highly impressive performance but, crucially, one that was ended early by a concussion.
It was the start of his long lay-off. He didn’t play for a year and then broke his ankle as he tried to make his comeback in a bounce match. He eventually returned for Glasgow in the home win over Scarlets this season which meant he went 720 days between his first two appearances for the Warriors.
The No 8 had a lot of catching up to do and he stayed in the team for the games that followed against Sale, Toulon, Edinburgh (twice) and Racing 92, convincing Townsend he was ready to step up to Test level. Mann has always had aspirations to play for Scotland but even he was surprised by his rapid progress.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking maybe a summer tour would be a good goal,” he said. “But honestly, the last five, six, seven weeks, I've just been trying to focus on making the most of my opportunity at Glasgow. Because I knew that if I was to get myself into a Scotland squad, that would be how I was going to do it.
“I felt like I could definitely live up to the standard that they require. But at the same time, I feel like in the Scottish squad at the minute, the back row is one of the most competitive positions. So I thought, maybe not this time, especially with it being the Six Nations as well. But I'm buzzing with the opportunity, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in there.”


He now finds himself in the strange position of competing for a place in the national side with the players who have helped him progress at Glasgow.
“I feel like I've learned so much, especially from those in my position like Matt Ferguson and Jack Dempsey. Having those guys around at Glasgow and then also in camp as well, getting to learn off them is massive.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“At the same time, I still want to push for my opportunity as much as they've cemented themselves. I'm happy to learn off them. I still have to try and push for my own spot.”
The wider support network, whether it be at the club or his family and friends, has been vital to Mann. He used to share a flat with Glasgow full-back Ollie Smith and the pair supported each other through their injury woes. He also credits Zara Lipsey, a sports psychologist who works with Glasgow, and the club itself for keeping faith with him.
“After I did my head [injury], I wasn't signed at Glasgow and then they, very fortunately, gave me a six-month contract until I was back,” Mann explained. They also continued to support him when he got injured on his comeback. “They'd offered me a year-and-a-half contract until the end of the season. I was about to sign that, and then I broke my ankle. We still signed that, fortunately.”
He is now in talks with the club about a new deal which means his fall-back option of returning to work on the family farm can stay on the back burner. For now, it’s all about cultivating his Scotland career.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.