Evergreen Gibson-Park bending rather than breaking to rugby's demands

He’s 33 years of age now and maturing like a fine wine as he turns into 2026 and starts to rediscover some of the form that has made him one of the world’s best.

Jamison Gibson-Park during Leinster Rugby squad training at UCD. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Jamison Gibson-Park is sitting back in a chair in Leinster’s boardroom shooting the breeze and absent-mindedly prodding and poking the index finger on his left hand. Or, to be more precise, the splint that covers most of it.

Mallet finger, where the digit is bent out of shape, is a common affliction in sports. Gibson-Park’s is straight as a dye when the support comes off but then bends back into a claw after training. It’s been that way for a few months now.