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Alex Mann: 'I am about 8-9kgs heavier than this time last year'
By Simon Thomas
Alex Mann is a player with an appetite for success in every sense of the phrase. The Welsh international has been working hard at adding some bulk over the last nine months, particularly when he was out for a lengthy spell with a back issue.
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That has meant sticking to a firm dietary plan – even when the menu became a bit monotonous – and his efforts have paid off.
“I am about 8-9kgs heavier than this time last year and it’s good weight,” reveals the Cardiff Rugby flanker, ahead of this weekend’s BKT URC clash with Connacht Rugby out in Galway.
“When I was out with the injury, we tried to turn the negative into a positive and focus on it as an opportunity to keep up physically with the demands of professional rugby.
“I worked pretty hard with the strength and conditioning department to get the best out of myself physically, so I can perform better on the pitch.”
So just how exactly has the former Cardiff City footballer added the weight?
“That’s been through hours in the gym and non-stop eating!” he replies.
“I am setting the alarm every three hours to eat. I am not really a big eater, but I know I have to do it to get the weight on.
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“To be fair to the S&C coaches and the nutritionists, they have been helping me along with it.
“If I compare this season to last in terms of my physical attributes, I would say I am in a better place. I have developed leaps and bounds really.
“Maybe before in games I would create the space, but just due to size or the physicality of it I would come off second best. Hopefully now I can start putting my foot forward in the physicality side of things and get stuck in.”
So, is there any food the 23-year-old from Aberdare is sick of?
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“Ahh, chicken and rice, to be honest with you,” he declares.
“Whenever I see that on the table, I am thinking ‘I don’t want to eat this’ and ‘Where’s the ketchup?’
“It’s just one of those things. You’ve just got to sit there and eat it. It’s part and parcel of the game. It’s been tough, but hopefully it will all be worth it.”
It has been a real rollercoaster ride for Mann over the past year or so.
Having not played a single BKT URC game going into last season, he made such an impact that he broke into the Wales set-up and figured in all five games during the Six Nations, scoring tries against Scotland and England.
But he was then struck down by an injury which was to keep him out of action for six months.
“I had bulges in two of the discs in my back which was affecting my nerves, going down my legs.
“I came back from the Six Nations and went to South Africa with Cardiff and I couldn’t really run properly. My legs weren’t feeling right, so I made the decision to have a break.
“It was difficult, probably one of the toughest parts of my career so far.
“You have the highest of highs, playing for your country, which was just unbelievable, playing in front of how many thousand in the best stadium in the world. It gives me chills now thinking about it, to be honest. Then I had to suffer with being on the sidelines and watching the boys play. It was hard.”
Mann eventually made his comeback against Edinburgh in mid-October and now has seven games under his belt.
“It’s nice to be back into the swing of things. I am getting up to where I was in terms of match fitness.
“The last few games I have felt more back to myself with getting that second wind, getting back off the floor, getting involved in everything. It’s been really good, really positive.
“It was difficult being out. I am just glad to be back playing and to have a chance to get stuck into things and show what I can do.”
He continues: “All in all, I have had some really good times and some tough times. That’s life and that’s rugby.
“Your career isn’t always going to be going in an upward direction. There are going to be ups and downs, disappointments and setbacks. It’s just how I react to those and turn the negatives into a positive and stay focused on what’s ahead.”
As for who has helped him through the darker days, he replies: “My family and close friends. That’s the most important thing to me in life and they have been really good to me. I can pick up the phone any time and they are always there.
“They know how hard I work and how much I want it. I do go to some dark places. That’s just me. I go until I can’t go anymore. I just don’t know when to stop!
“They try to lift me up when I need it because I am probably my worst enemy at times. They have been unbelievable with me and I appreciate that, while other players here give me good advice as well.”
He concludes: “I am still young, still learning and still trying to get better. I am looking at other back rowers and seeing how I can improve my game and put my stamp on things.”
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