Corbisiero to take sabbatical at end of season

Mental toll of all the injuries proving too much. Wants to take some time out to refresh and then make a return. Will not renew his Saints contract nor discuss options with any other clubs.

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/10098715/england-prop-alex-corbisiero-to-take-year-break-from-rugby

Shame but it seems the right thing to do for long term health etc and to maybe prolong his carear if/when he returns.

That could actually be the best thing for him. He is a quality player that has had a run of bad injuries. Certainly hope for him that the sabbatical works for him.

If he finishes the season with Saints in start if May and can't bare not playing at all he could always nip over and play in Japan. Doesn't their season start in January? Join up in December with six months off and then play a bit part to ease himself back in.

Maybe do some community coaching for a year or punditry as he's got some pretty good verbal skills.

He's got lots of options other than subjecting his body to another 12 months of tough AP rugby. A good idea really.

Sadly, I suspect he'll take a year out and won't come back. His knees appear to be shot, which is a shame, because fit and healthy he is a world class player.

Agree with all of the above. We want to see the best players at their best but their long term health comes first

Will be good for him, always liked his tv work too. Although he needs to take a breath sometimes - always seems insightful

Well Nathan he does like to rap in his spare time so waiting for a breath might not be in his nature.

No doubts, the best thing for him. And not surprised. The grind of endless rehab, pushing through pain every day, climbing the summit only to see there is another behind it, can tax the best of us. Relax, take some time to mentally and physically recharge. Hopefully he can get himself back in fighting trim and have a better second half of his career.

doctor_grey wrote:No doubts, the best thing for him.  And not surprised.  The grind of endless rehab, pushing through pain every day, climbing the summit only to see there is another behind it, can tax the best of us.  Relax, take some time to mentally and physically recharge.  Hopefully he can get himself back in fighting trim and have a better second half of his career.  

Do you think the problems he has are fixable or only manageable?

lostinwales wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:No doubts, the best thing for him.  And not surprised.  The grind of endless rehab, pushing through pain every day, climbing the summit only to see there is another behind it, can tax the best of us.  Relax, take some time to mentally and physically recharge.  Hopefully he can get himself back in fighting trim and have a better second half of his career.  

Do you think the problems he has are fixable or only manageable?

I think he has too many interconnected injuries.  Neck, lumbar spine, sciatica (connected to spinal issues), plus the knee, all on a big guy.  I have spoken with the club from time to time.  If he can get the spinal issues under control, and I think that can be done from what I have seen - and it takes time - then he can return properly.  Injuries compound injuries, and become emotional hurdles which are monstrous.  Once the daily pain subsides, he learns how to be fit again, and becomes confident his body can hold up, then he will be ready to return to play.  

As an example, Jonny Wilkinson never fully returned to health until he left the country and started his rehab in Vermont far from any Rugby.  And didn't rerun to Rugby until truly physically and mentally fit (as opposed to normal Rugby meathead fitness). This is what Alex needs.   If I were him, I would start this now and not grind to the end of the season in a kind of limbo.

I would be amazed if we ever see him in an England shirt again.

At his prime he was an absolute beast. I hope the break does him good.

Bit of necro-posting here, but I just read an interview where Corbs talks about his new role as an NBC analyst for their coverage of Premiership matches. I wondered when he would look at getting back into the game, but it seems he just might never fancy a stint in the Premiership again. Not sure whether that's because he knows his body can't take it, or if he just doesn't have the appetite.

Asked in September if he planned to return to action, he said: “It’s up in the air. If I was coming back when I thought I was coming back, I would probably not have taken a role like this, because I’d be training by now to be playing by November or January.

“I feel very fit and healthy and in good shape, I feel very capable of coming back to the game, but at the same time I have an eye on what’s after the game, [and] at the same time there’s an opportunity to maybe play out in the States.”

That opportunity would be in PRO Rugby, a five-team league currently operating out of Ohio and the west but aiming to expand to the east.

“It’s nothing more than an informal conversation,” he said, “so I wouldn’t want to say I might or I might not, but it’s definitely something I’m going to look into. I still have the competitive itch to play, but at the same time 30-plus games” – the length of an English season – “isn’t always the most appealing.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/03/alex-corbisiero-nbc-aviva-premiership-rugby

I saw him doing the NBC thing.  He was one of the before, halftime, and post-match commentators.  Seemed to do pretty well.  Speaks well and comes across and solid.  He made a passing comment about playing again, but when and where he didn't say.

By the way, I like the term 'necro-posting', but the first time I saw it I thought you wrote necrophilia.................

I thought that necro-posting was when the dead do a number 2