Australia Rugby
Lynagh grateful after stroke recovery
ESPN Staff
July 14, 2012
Former Wallabies international Michael Lynagh, Wimbledon Championships, All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, England, June 24, 2009
Lynagh was in good health in the Sky Sports studios © Getty Images
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Australia legend Michael Lynagh has spoken of his gratitude for the help he received in his recovery from his recent stroke.

The former Queensland and Australia fly-half spent two weeks in the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after suffering a stroke in April. Apart from losing vision in his left eye, Lynagh has made a full recovery.

"I'm very lucky," he Sky Sports News. "I think being relatively healthy and younger, it certainly helped in my recovery."

Reflecting on his experience, he added: "I've certainly learnt a lot about strokes and the recovery of them, and how it affects young people - and older people of course. I've become very involved in the Stroke Association and a number of other charities, both here and in Australia, and also the hospital in Australia which was fantastic for me.

"It's an illness that one needs to understand, and also understand the symptoms to try and help people when you see it happening, to get them to a hospital quickly. That's what happened to me and I'm very grateful."

Ahead of the new Aviva Premiership season, Lynagh tipped Sale Sharks' new signing Danny Cipriani to return to English rugby as a better player following his 18-month stint in Super Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels.

"It's been very much an up-and-down time for him," Lynagh said in assessing Cipriani's time in Australia. "We've seen him do brilliant things on the rugby field and some not-so-brilliant things on the rugby field and off the rugby field.

"Him now coming back to England to try and play well for Sale and also get back in the England reckoning will be quite important for him. I think the rugby experience, and experience of a different culture and way of playing the game will be very educational and very good for him and I expect to see him come back a better player for it."

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