Veteran Bristol fly-half AJ MacGinty is savouring the special feeling of winning a game again after returning to the Bears side having missed almost all of last season through injury.
MacGinty started for the Bears and played 58 minutes of their opening round win away at Sale last Saturday, his first start since the opening day of last season when he suffered a ruptured Achilles.
The 36-year-old returned to the team in May as the 2025-26 campaign drew to a close but picked up a calf injury that set him back again.
“I watched a lot of rugby from the sideline pretty much the whole year and as much as it’s nice that you’re coming in, you’re not really involved,” he told BBC Radio Bristol.
“Even the feeling of winning a game is special, being with the lads. You’re not really feel a part of it when you’re not playing or have the injury so, yeah, it’s a really special feeling to be back.”
The American international is still managing the calf injury, which is why he is not yet able to make it through 80 minutes of a game.
“I’m still facing a bit of cramp in my right calf and so it’s just working on that for the next few weeks,” he added.
“I don’t know if that’s load or it could be more nutrition, or overusing it but hopefully from my own standpoint I’ll be able to get through 80 [soon].”
